81.   But conservative groups say the rally is nothing more than a political tool to promote increased federal spending.

82.   But Fahd, under pressure from conservative Islamic groups who resented the American presence, rebuffed the proposals.

83.   But George said he did not know the conservative group and did not need to be defended because he was not being attacked.

84.   But Glenn Spencer, deputy director of environmental policy for Citizens for a Sound Economy, a conservative group that supports the rights of private property owners, disagreed.

85.   But he declined to criticize a conservative group that is mounting a defense of Ashcroft and running radio spots targeting Democratic senators on the Judiciary Committee.

86.   But conservative groups promise to block any such effort.

87.   But developers, landowners and conservative legal groups said the decision upheld the concept of a government of limited powers.

88.   But it could just as easily have been a conservative group that wanted to shut up critics of some dumb right-wing cause.

89.   But Janet Brazill, who circulated petitions for the initiative here, said she objected to subsidizing conservative groups she disagrees with.

90.   But knowledgeable Saudis said there was little doubt that one purpose was to dilute the authority of the Ulemas Council, a highly conservative group of Muslim theologians.