11.   But increasingly, congressional leaders are claiming their prerogative to block presidential appointees as they allow nomination fights to be proxies for other battles.

12.   But Republican Senate leaders also claimed victory, saying Ashcroft had overcome a feverish campaign by liberal interest groups to derail his nomination.

13.   Chechen leaders claim they will marshal tens of thousands of fighters to challenge the Russian invasion.

14.   CBI, a special police force, is investigating the bribery scandal but opposition leaders claim its probe is selective.

15.   Conservative leaders may claim they promote work as the way to end poverty.

16.   Democrat leaders claimed that Republicans voted for so many loopholes to the legislation that its impact would be to weaken, not strengthen, existing laws.

17.   Democrats and others had questioned whether the plan could achieve the savings GOP leaders claimed.

18.   If the Soviet leadership that ruled this country during much of the last century exhibited a checkered record at best, its new leaders can hardly claim better.

19.   Instead, IRA leaders claimed responsibility for an attack last Friday evening in which a policeman suffered gunshot wounds.

20.   Industry leaders claimed the bill would have blocked frivolous and costly litigation aimed at high-tech companies.