John Ashcroft

U.S. Attorney General

Ashcroft is noted by his detractors for allegedly ordering that the partially nude statues of Liberty and Justice -- which stand in the Great Hall of the Justice Department, where he held press conferences -- be covered with blue curtains. Ashcroft denied these allegations. It has also been said that this action was taken because he felt that reporters were photographing him alongside the statues to make fun of his church's opposition to pornography. In late June 2005, Ashcroft's successor, Alberto Gonzales, approved the removal of the drapery from the statues.

Related Topics:
Liberty - Justice - Press conference - Photograph - Pornography - 2005 - Alberto Gonzales

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Ashcroft is considered a leading member of the Christian right wing of the Republican Party and was one of the highest-ranked representatives of that group in the Bush Administration. Ashcroft's religious beliefs have led opponents, including Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), to question his ability to effectively enforce certain laws, especially those pertaining to abortion. Ashcroft maintained that he would enforce laws whether he agreed with them or not.

Related Topics:
Christian right - Republican Party - Bush Administration - Charles Schumer - Abortion

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In July 2002, Ashcroft proposed the creation of Operation TIPS, a domestic program in which workers and government employees would inform law enforcement agencies about suspicious behavior they encounter while performing their duties. The program was widely criticized in the media as an encroachment upon the First and Fourth Amendments, and the United States Postal Service balked at the program, refusing outright to participate. Ashcroft defended the program as a necessary component of the ongoing War on Terrorism, but the proposal was eventually abandoned.

Related Topics:
July 2002 - Operation TIPS - Law enforcement - Media - First - Fourth - Amendments - United States Postal Service - War on Terrorism

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Ashcroft's positions on privacy and civil liberties measures made him an extremely disliked figure among libertarian, left-wing and liberal groups, and groups opposed to the Bush administration often mentioned him as epitomizing all the reasons for their opposition. Some of his most prominent critics were organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and pro-choice groups. Many liberal commentators claimed that Ashcroft used the threat of terrorism to further political goals; one prominent example was a news conference held in May of 2004, which critics claimed was an attempt to distract attention from a drop in the approval ratings of President Bush, who at the time was campaigning for re-election.

Related Topics:
Libertarian - Left-wing - Liberal - American Civil Liberties Union - Pro-choice - Terrorism

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Ashcroft's opponents allege that he used the threat of terrorism as a justification for unnecessarily restricting civil liberties. Some of those opponents have pejoratively labeled his polices as "Ashcroftism." Publications such as workers.org refer to him as "Grand Inquisitor" Ashcrofthttp://www.workers.org/ww/2004/edit0226.php. Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003 also known as The Patriot Act II, is draft legislation written by John Ashcroft's Department of Justice to fight terrorism. It was leaked to the internet in its original raw form. People were outraged over its proposed infringements on civil liberties.

Related Topics:
Terrorism - Civil liberties - Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003

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In March 2004, Ashcroft entered the George Washington Medical Center with gallstone pancreatitis; surgeons removed his gallbladder (cholecystectomy) within a week.

Related Topics:
March 2004 - Gallstone pancreatitis - Gallbladder - Cholecystectomy

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On November 9, 2004 Ashcroft announced his resignation from his post as Attorney General, which took effect on February 3, 2005 with the Senate confirmation of White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales as the next Attorney General. Some believe his health was a factor in his decision. His hand-written resignation letter, dated November 2, stated: "The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved."

Related Topics:
November 9 - 2004 - February 3 - 2005 - Senate - White House Counsel - Alberto Gonzales - November 2

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