But in his report, the special commissioner, Richard J. Condon, criticized the deal, which was authorized by Chancellor Klein, saying "it was not prudent" for the department to sign the agreement.

But the commissioner of the Administration for Children's Services, William C. Bell, criticized the report, which is based on data from March and July of 2002, as out of date.

The United Nations' high commissioner for human rights, Louise Arbour, criticized the government for remaining in denial about widespread reports of rape.

Even the new commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization, James W. Ziglar, has criticized the speedy deportation procedures.

Another commissioner, Robert A. Adams, also criticized the plan as impractical, and asserted that political motives lay behind the decision to put off the vote.

A Democratic commissioner at the agency criticized it for bowing to executives who he said had blocked a proposal that would give shareholders more say in selecting board members.

"The commissioner has criticized me before," he said.

The commissioners of both agencies criticized the conclusions and blamed the delays on complex procedures and bureaucracy.

In rejecting the Pentagon's recommendation to close Fort McClellan, for example, commissioners criticized the Army's plan to move the fort's school that trains soldiers against chemical weapons but keep its live-agent chemical training center.

While William E. Kennard, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, said he was encouraged by AT&T's move, a fellow commissioner sharply criticized the plan.