They have orchestrated campaigns to pressure state legislators, publicly criticizing lawmakers they ordinarily hesitate to cross.

Dressed in white funeral shrouds, to show their willingness to die, the protesters carried banners that backed the supreme leader and criticized reformist lawmakers.

Mr. Pataki was even more caustic in criticizing Democratic lawmakers when he emerged from a budget negotiating session with legislative leaders last night.

Saying America's leadership role is bound to decline unless its competitiveness improves, a panel appointed by Bush and Congress criticized both the White House and lawmakers.

Yet she also criticizes lawmakers who would reduce benefits.

She criticized lawmakers for taking "a one-size-fits-all approach" to juvenile crime.

Nor would she criticize lawmakers for accepting the gifts.

Mr. Franks is a lifelong Republican who has an unpredictable voting record and has shown a willingness to criticize black Democratic lawmakers and his own party's chieftains with equal fervor.

President Ernesto Zedillo criticized lawmakers who voted for the law as pandering to owners of illegal vehicles two months before general elections.

"I'm not very optimistic on how that is going to go Thursday," he said, criticizing Democratic lawmakers as lazy and unfocused.