John Ashcroft

Karl Rove Conflict Of Interest Allegation

When long-term client Karl Rove was being questioned over the leak by the FBI, John Ashcroft was being personally briefed about the investigation. U.S. Representative Conyers described this at the time as a "stunning ethical breach that cries out for an immediate investigation."http://www.pacifica.org/programs/dn/050818.html

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U.S. Representative John Conyers, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee has sent a letter asking for a formal investigation of the time between the start of Rove's investigation and John Ashcroft's recusalhttp://mediamatters.org/static/audio/podcast/trupianoshow_20050817.mp3:

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:There has long been the appearance of impropriety in Ashcroft's handling of this investigation. The former attorney general had well documented conflicts of interest in this matter, particularly with regard to his personal relationship with Karl Rove. Among other things, Rove was employed by Ashcroft throughout his political career, and Rove reportedly had fiercely advocated for Ashcroft's appointment as attorney general. Pursuant to standard rules of legal ethics, and explicit rules on conflict of interest, those facts alone should have dictated his immediate recusal.

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:The new information, that Ashcroft had not only refused to recuse himself over a period of months, but also was insisting on being personally briefed about a matter implicating his friend, Karl Rove, represents a stunning ethical breach that cries out for an immediate investigation by the Department's Office of Professional Responsibility and Inspector General.http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0533,waasweb1,66861,2.htmlhttp://www.archive.org/download/dn2005-0818/dn2005-0818-1_64kb.mp3

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