Ashcroft

=<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-06-10/singled-out-by-trump-qatar-hires-former-top-law-man-to-lobby">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-06-10/singled-out-by-trump-qatar-hires-former-top-law-man-to-lobby</a>
<div class="body-copy-v2 fence-body" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.56;" times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" serif="serif" vertical-align="vertical-align" baseline="baseline" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">no lnxPoliticsSingled Out by Trump, Qatar Hires Ashcroft’s FirmBy Bill AllisonUpdated on Former Bush Attorney General Aschroft to lead effort ‘Urgent need to commence work immediately’ given circumstancesThe government of Qatar, blockaded by its neighbors and singled out for supporting terror in recent days by President Donald Trump, has hired the firm of former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft for services that could include lobbying, according to disclosures released by the Justice Department.
Qatar is paying Ashcroft’s firm $2.5 million to represent it in connection with its efforts to combat global terrorism and comply with U.S. money laundering and counterterrorism financing regulations, according to the four-page contract filed under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires lobbyists for foreign clients to disclose information about their activities. In an appearance Friday with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Trump called Qatar a "funder of terrorism at a very high level."
To combat that image, Ashcroft promises to enlist former government leaders who held senior positions in the departments of Treasury and Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the intelligence community. The contract also says that Ashcroft, who led the Justice Department from 2001 to 2005 under President George W. Bush, will lead the effort.
The contract doesn’t specify any U.S. legislation, executive orders or policy it will try to change, and the focus of the work will be a thorough regulatory review of Qatar’s efforts to combat money laundering and terrorism financing. 
"Qatar intends to share both its current framework and the results of our work with key policy makers," said Michael Sullivan, a partner in the firm who will also be working on the project. "With that in mind we decided to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act since some of our work may be viewed as quasi-political in nature."
The contract cites the "urgent need to commence work immediately" which will be "a top priority" for the firm. In the wake of Trump’s trip to the Middle East, four U.S. Arab allies took steps to isolate Qatar over its ties to Iran and support of Islamist groups. Saudi Arabia, the United Arabic Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic ties to the nation Monday. In a series of tweets the same day, Trump congratulated the Saudis for their actions.
On Friday, shortly after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations to ease their blockade of Qatar, Trump seemed to contradict his top diplomat. In a joint appearance in the Rose Garden with the Romanian head of state, Trump called the actions against Qatar “hard but necessary.”
Why Qatar Has So Angered Saudi Arabia
"Nations came to me and spoke to me about confronting Qatar," he said in prepared remarks. "I decided, along with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, our great generals and military people, the time had come to call on Qatar to end its funding -- they have to end that funding -- and its extremist ideology."
Qatar’s population is smaller than Houston’s, but it has a sovereign wealth fund with stakes in global companies from Barclays Plc to Credit Suisse Group. It’s also a home to the forward headquarters of the U.S. military’s central command in the region.
Aschroft’s firm promised to provide crisis response and management, program and system analysis, media outreach and advocacy, stressing Qatar’s efforts to combat global terror, according to the contract. As part of that effort, it plans "a comprehensive legal and government relations strategy," one that will communicate broadly and to "certain domestic agencies and leaders."
In addition to Ashcroft, six members of his firm registered as lobbyists for Qatar, including Christopher Peele, a former special trial attorney in the fraud section of the Justice Department, and Sullivan, a former director of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.</div>

fedsoc contributor award?<a href="https://fedsoc.7up.stage.enga.ge/contributors/john-ashcroft-1">https://fedsoc.7up.stage.enga.ge/contributors/john-ashcroft-1</a>===

blackwater  <a href="http://academi.com/pages/about-us/board-of-directors/john-ashcroft">http://academi.com/pages/about-us/board-of-directors/john-ashcroft</a>

===

rt nation NRA has columbine and waco setbacks, but reruited and rebuilt lobbying. pol donor went from 60 to 90% gop (70% gun owners voted gop) 110  has 1 mil prece4int workers, gets members turnout 95% 177 pierre cochair rnc gala raised 21 m$  NRA beat gore in tenn, ark and W va at least 177. main goal is to shield gunmakers and seller from lawsuits. asjhcroft #1 recip of nra $, ja has tried to get fed gun recs purged 24 hrs and won't let fbi use in terror invresigtions post 911 178, reneged on assult rigle confirm testimony 179. teams with Libery Park (CTT) w/ talk radio network w/ 100 stations, publ books and lobby; on bd of ACU that runs CPAC; even more agressive than nra on guns, big in direct mail

2006
<a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group">https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group</a>

rfk2:

BUT John Ashcroft used sailor mongering act ~

Greenpeace for 1st x in 132 yrs (fines and probation 5 yrs) fed judge threw out

(!?)

before ag ashcroft let developers challenge local ords as unConst 182 yet stopped states from stopping offshore drill b/c fed has jurisdict; // limited state use of class action lawsuits 182 13 of 16 ppl in cab from indus affected by cas 183 says Fdn fr taxpayer and consumer rights strat

===

5. John Ashcroft at Bob Jones University, 1999

Attorney general-designate John Ashcroft delivered a <a href="http://www.beliefnet.com/News/Politics/2001/01/We-Have-No-King-But-Jesus.aspx">speech</a> [7]-cum-sermon to graduating students of Bob Jones University, the great bastion of Christian fundamentalism, in 1999.

“You could quote the Declaration with me, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.' Unique among the nations, America recognized the source of our character as being godly and eternal, not being civic and temporal. And because we have understood that our source is eternal, America has been different. We have no king but Jesus.”

</blockquote>

All righty then! Social studies teachers across America, take note that the country's founding document is actually a religious pronouncement.

But Ashcroft is just a godly sort of fellow. After having Clarence Thomas anoint him with oil, a ritual he insisted on before taking each office in his career (and which was once performed by his father with a dollop of Crisco), Attorney General Ashcroft expressed his unique vision of America’s holiness in his dedication to initiating secret detentions, thwarting gun control, and hounding physicians who help terminally ill patients commit suicide.

Ashcroft has also been famed for his Christian charity, evidenced in his <a href="http://www.nndb.com/people/352/000022286/">reasons</a> [8] for vetoing funding for an AIDS care center when he was governor of Missouri: "Well, they're there because of their own misconduct, and it wasn't very reputable misconduct, either."

He is now a highly paid lobbyist in Washington. God works in mysterious ways.

===

rfk2? 12/27/2001. 86 bill to prevent gov contract for co's w/ repeated safety

and eco vio (could mean up to 138B$) 35  BUT John Ashcroft used sailor

mongering act ~ Greenpeace for 1st x in 132 yrs (fines and probation 5

yrs) fed judge threw out  (!?)

---

srcwatch

John David Ashcroft served as U.S. Attorney General from 2001 to 2004, and following that took a teaching position at <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Pat_Robertson" title="Pat Robertson">Pat Robertson</a>'s <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Regent_University" title="Regent University">Regent University</a> as Distinguished Professor of Law and Government and formed a <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lobbying_firms" title="Lobbying firms">lobbying firm</a> called the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group" title="Ashcroft Group">Ashcroft Group</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/042805/ashcroft.html">[1]</a> He graduated from Yale in 1963 and received his J.D. from the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/University_of_Chicago" title="University of Chicago">University of Chicago</a> in 1967, and is considered to be a <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Neo-conservative" title="Neo-conservative">neo-conservative</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.results.gov/leadership/bio_18.html">[2]</a>, a devout Christian, and a grittily determined singer, even at staff meetings. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/bush/story/0,7369,661458,00.html">[3]</a>

Married to <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Janet_Ashcroft" title="Janet Ashcroft">Janet Ashcroft</a>.[<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/SourceWatch:Citation_needed" title="SourceWatch:Citation needed">citation needed</a>]

<h2>Contents</h2>

[<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_David_Ashcroft#" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>] </div>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_David_Ashcroft#Background">1 Background</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_David_Ashcroft#Politics">2 Politics</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_David_Ashcroft#Corruption_in_U.S._Government">3 Corruption in U.S. Government</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_David_Ashcroft#Tobacco_issues">4 Tobacco issues</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_David_Ashcroft#Compassionate_conservative.3F">5 Compassionate conservative?</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-6"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_David_Ashcroft#SourceWatch_resources">6 SourceWatch resources</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-7"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_David_Ashcroft#External_articles">7 External articles</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_David_Ashcroft#References">7.1 References</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-9"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_David_Ashcroft#Articles_and_other_resources">7.2 Articles and other resources</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2>Background</h2>

Ashcroft was a member of Yale University's class of 1964, an honor he shared with <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_Gustave_Gus_Speth" title="James Gustave Gus Speth">James Gustave Gus Speth</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www2.aya.yale.edu/classes/yc1964/news/ashcroft3.htm">[4]</a>

"Ashcroft served as one of Missouri's representatives in the U.S. Senate. He was elected in 1994. Previously, Attorney General Ashcroft served as Governor of Missouri, serving in that position from 1985 until 1993. He began his career of public service in 1973 as Missouri Auditor and was later elected to two terms as the state's Attorney General." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.results.gov/leadership/bio_18.html">[5]</a>

In the 2000 election year, Ashcroft was defeated in his run for re-election to the U.S. Senate by Democrat Mel Carnahan, who remained on the Missouri ballot after he died in a plane crash. Less than three months later, Ashcroft won confirmation as President <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/George_Walker_Bush" title="George Walker Bush">Bush</a>'s Attorney General by a 58-42 margin, the narrowest in recent times. Ashcroft announced his resignation as U.S. Attorney General on November 9, 2004. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/09/politics/main654651.shtml">[6]</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/11/09/ashcroft.text.ap/">His handwritten letter</a> was dated November 2nd, citing gratitutde, success, and a belief in fresh leadership to take his place.

<h2>Politics</h2>

Ashcroft has been outspoken in his opposition to abortion rights and was cricized by civil rights groups for opposing the nomination of a black Missouri Supreme Court justice to the federal bench. "He also has come under fire for comments he made to the Southern Partisan, a magazine defending the historical reputation of the Civil War-era Confederacy," CNN noted. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/12/28/bush.wrap/">[7]</a>

<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/People_for_the_American_Way" title="People for the American Way">People for the American Way</a> unsuccessfully campaigned against Ashcroft's nomination and released reports compiling his public statements on key issues. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=6183">[8]</a>

<h2>Corruption in U.S. Government</h2>

Ashcroft has made bold public statements against corruption by public officials. In particular he highlighted the need for law enforcment and the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S._Department_of_Justice" title="U.S. Department of Justice">U.S. Department of Justice</a> to keep their "own houses clean". <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://bvc.cgu.gov.br/bitstream/123456789/1619/1/Attorney+General+John+D.+Ashcroft%27s+Remarks+at+the+Second+Global+Forum+on+Fighting+Corruption.pdf">[9]</a> Ashcroft believed that the majority of corruption in government is unreported, undetected, and escapes investigation and prosecution: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/rm/may/3387.htm">"We know that we can only detect, investigate and prosecute a small percentage of those officials who are corrupt."</a>

<h2>Tobacco issues</h2>

As a Senator, John Ashcroft argued against a 1998 bill proposed by Senator <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_McCain" title="John McCain">John McCain</a> (R-AZ) to enact comprehensive legislation aimed at protecting children from tobacco, arguing that the cost of such regulation would be passed on to cigarette consumers, thereby placing an unfair tax burden on low income families and inviting a lengthy court battle from tobacco companies.<a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/jan-june98/tobacco_5-20.html">[10]</a><a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/smoke/smoke191.htm">[11]</a>

Ashcroft also served on the advisory board of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Washington_Legal_Foundation" title="Washington Legal Foundation">Washington Legal Foundation</a>, a group that receives funding from <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Philip_Morris" title="Philip Morris" class="mw-redirect">Philip Morris</a>] to carry out "advocacy," and which has been consistently hostile to legal and public health efforts to regulate tobacco and hold tobacco companies accountable for the damage caused by their products.<a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/ayf82f00">[12]</a><a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/qku45c00">[13]</a><a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.corporatepolicy.org/issues/wlf.htm">[14]</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/wtk76c00">[15]</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/wtk76c00">[16]</a>

<h2><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Compassionate_conservative" title="Compassionate conservative" class="mw-redirect">Compassionate conservative</a>?</h2>

Associated Press religion writer Richard N. Ostling, wrote, in his February 10, 2001, article "Bush's plan deeply rooted. Protestant thinkers helped shape his faith-based initiative":

"Like <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/George_W._Bush" title="George W. Bush" class="mw-redirect">Bush</a>, Ashcroft wanted to give religious groups a bigger role in federal <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Welfare_reform&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Welfare reform (page does not exist)">welfare reform</a>. The obvious problem was how to maintain separation of church and state under the U.S. Constitution.

"Ashcroft aide <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Annie_Billings_White" title="Annie Billings White">Annie Billings White</a>, an evangelical Protestant like her boss, offered to seek advice from church-state expert <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_H._Esbeck" title="Carl H. Esbeck">Carl H. Esbeck</a>, one of her law professors at the University of Missouri. As it happened, Esbeck had just delivered an extensive research paper at Chicago's DePaul University on the obstacles and the pressures to secularize when religious programs join service programs funded by government.

"Esbeck, a Protestant, has since become director of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Center_for_Law_and_Religious_Freedom&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Center for Law and Religious Freedom (page does not exist)">Center for Law and Religious Freedom</a> at the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Christian_Legal_Society" title="Christian Legal Society">Christian Legal Society</a>, an organization of 3,800 attorneys and law students based in Annandale, Va. He had sketched a law designed to grant publicly funded agencies more religious leeway while meeting church-state objections. He felt this was in line with less rigid <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Supreme_Court" title="Supreme Court">Supreme Court</a> rulings on church and state since 1981.

"The professor sent his draft law and his Chicago paper to White. That was the germ of the '<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Charitable_choice" title="Charitable choice">charitable choice</a>' provision in the 1996 welfare reform law, one of the most important legislative efforts by Ashcroft, now U.S. attorney general."

On the White House office of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Faith-based_and_Community_Initiatives" title="Faith-based and Community Initiatives" class="mw-redirect">Faith-based and Community Initiatives</a>, Ostling wrote: "Creation of the office is in concert with Bush's pledge to spend $8 billion in expanding 'charitable choice', in which churches and religious groups receiving federal funding to provide social services may now proselytize. ... <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Scott_McClellan" title="Scott McClellan">Scott McClellan</a> said on Jan. 7 [2001] that 'reaching out to faith-based groups that have a proven record of saving and changing lives is a top priority of President-elect Bush.'

"The primary engineer of 'charitable choice' was John Ashcroft, Bush's controversial nominee for Attorney General, who as U.S. Senator pushed through a 'charitable choice' amendment to the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/1996_Welfare_Reform_Act" title="1996 Welfare Reform Act" class="mw-redirect">1996 Welfare Reform Act</a> ( <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=1996_Personal_Responsibility_and_Work_Reconciliation_Act&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Reconciliation Act (page does not exist)">1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Reconciliation Act</a> ) at the eleventh hour." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.ffrf.org/fttoday/jan_feb01/bushwhacked.html">[17]</a>

<h2>SourceWatch resources</h2>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bush_administration" title="Bush administration">Bush administration</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bush_administration_warrantless_wiretapping" title="Bush administration warrantless wiretapping">Bush administration warrantless wiretapping</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/David_Kuo" title="David Kuo">David Kuo</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/National_Commission_on_Terrorist_Attacks_Upon_the_United_States:Testimony%28John_David_Ashcroft%29" title="National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States: Testimony (John David Ashcroft)">National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States: Testimony (John David Ashcroft)</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Threat_Advisory_security_alert_nonsense:_John_Ashcroft" title="Threat Advisory security alert nonsense: John Ashcroft">Threat Advisory security alert nonsense: John Ashcroft</a></li>

</ul>

<h2>External articles</h2>

<h3>References</h3>

<h3>Articles and other resources</h3>

<ul>

<li>"<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1012.html">Profile: John Ashcroft</a>," Right Web Profile (Somerville, NM: International Relations Center, December 21, 2007).</li>

<li>People for the American Way, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=6183">The Right-Wing Affiliations of Bush Administration Officials</a>."</li>

<li>"<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/12/28/bush.wrap/">Bush picks Ford veteran Rumsfeld to lead Pentagon</a>", CNN, December 28, 2000.</li>

<li>James Collins, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www2.aya.yale.edu/classes/yc1964/news/ashcroft.htm">A quiet Ashcroft turned to books and faith at Yale</a>, Yale Daily News, January 15-19, 2001.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www2.aya.yale.edu/classes/yc1964/news/ashcroft3.htm">We're Not Destroying Rights, We're Protecting</a>, Parade Magazine, May 19, 2002.</li>

<li>Elaine Cassel, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://writ.news.findlaw.com/cassel/20030430.html">A Recent Judicial Reprimand of Attorney General Ashcroft Exposes a Pattern of Gag Order and Ethics Violations By His Office</a>, Findlaw's Legal Commentary, April 30, 2003.</li>

<li>Dan Eggen and Jim VandeHei, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61836-2003Aug28.html">Ashcroft Taking Fire From GOP Stalwarts</a>, Washington Post, August 29, 2003.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/02/opinion/02THU1.html?8br">Investigating Leaks</a>, New York Times Op-Ed, October 2, 2003: "Attorney General John Ashcroft has put himself and the president in a very dangerous position with his handling of the Justice Department's investigation into how <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Robert_Novak" title="Robert Novak">Robert Novak</a> got the name of a C.I.A. operative for publication in his syndicated column. After career lawyers conducted a preliminary investigation into the leaking of the officer's name, Mr. Ashcroft chose to proceed with a full investigation within the Justice Department. He did so despite department guidelines that would have permitted him to appoint an outsider, who would serve at Mr. Ashcroft's discretion but could make independent decisions. Instead, Mr. Ashcroft has decided to leave the investigation under the authority of the department's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Counterespionage&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Counterespionage (page does not exist)">counterespionage</a> office. That office employs career lawyers who routinely investigate this sort of leak and have the security clearances to do so with dispatch." Re covert CIA agent <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Valerie_Plame" title="Valerie Plame">Valerie Plame</a>.</li>

<li>Elisabeth Bumiller and <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.pulitzer.org/bycat/National+Reporting">Eric Lichtblau,</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/02/politics/02ASHC.html?th=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1065089516-YjiAq0uosIQg3QeUh3/C0g">Attorney General Is Closely Linked to Inquiry Figures</a>, New York Times, October 2, 2003: "Deep political ties between top White House aides and Attorney General John Ashcroft have put him into a delicate position as the Justice Department begins a full investigation into whether administration officials illegally disclosed the name of an undercover C.I.A. officer." Names of inquiry figures associated with Ashcroft are: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Karl_Rove" title="Karl Rove">Karl Rove</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Jack_Oliver" title="Jack Oliver">Jack Oliver</a>.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-02-17-ashcroft-sued_x.htm">Prosecutor in terror case controversy sues Ashcroft</a>, USA Today, February 17, 2004: "A federal prosecutor in a major terrorism case in Detroit has taken the rare step of suing Attorney General John Ashcroft, alleging the Justice Department interfered with the case, compromised a confidential informant and exaggerated results in the war on terrorism. ... Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Convertino of Detroit accused the Justice Department of "gross mismanagement" of the war on terrorism in a whistleblower lawsuit filed late Friday in federal court in Washington. ... Justice officials said Tuesday they had not seen the suit and had no comment."</li>

<li>Bruce S. Ticker, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.smirkingchimp.com/article.php?sid=15934&mode=nested&order=0">"'The untouchables: Scalia and Ashcroft',"</a> Smirking Chimp, April 27, 2004.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=ashcrofts_interest">"Ashcroft's Interest"</a> The American Prospect, July 8, 2004.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?articleId=9473">"Exclusive: Plame Game Over?"</a> The American Prospect, April 6, 2005.</li>

<li>Jonathan E. Kaplan, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/042805/ashcroft.html">Ashcroft joins K Street legions</a>," The Hill', May 1, 2005.</li>

<li>"<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/0504weiss.htm">Weiss Fights Terror with Ashcroft</a>," O'Dwyer's PR Daily, May 4, 2005.</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Murray_Waas" title="Murray Waas">Murray Waas</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://whateveralready.blogspot.com/2005/08/exclusive-house-democrats-ask-justice.html">"Exclusive: House Democrats Ask Justice Inspector General to Investigate Plame In Plame Plot,"</a> Whatever Already!(blog), Aug. 16, 2005.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://murraywaas.net/">Murray Waas</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0533,waasweb1,66861,2.html">"Rove and Ashcroft Face New Allegations in Plame Affair,"</a> Village Voice, August 19, 2005.</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Murray_Waas" title="Murray Waas">Murray Waas</a>,<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0538,waas,67952,2.html">"While You Were Watching Katrina,"</a> Village Voice, Sept. 16, 2005,</li>

<li>Bill Berkowitz, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.mediatransparency.com/story.php?storyID=109">"Let the dollars soar": Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft cashes in as Homeland Security lobbyist</a>", Media Transparency, February 3, 2006.</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Murray_Waas" title="Murray Waas">Murray Waas</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.alternet.org/story/17084/">"Pressure on Ashcroft to Recuse Grows"</a> Alternet, Oct. 31, 2005.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://murraywaas.net/">Murray Waas</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?articleId=9473">"Plame Game Over?"</a> American Prospect, April 6, 2005.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.pulitzer.org/bycat/National+Reporting">Shane Harris and Murray Waas,</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://news.nationaljournal.com/articles/0525nj2.htm">"Justice Department Probe Foiled"</a> National Journal, May 25, 2006.</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Murray_Waas" title="Murray Waas">Murray Waas</a>,<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://news.nationaljournal.com/articles/0608nj1.htm">"What Ashcroft Was Told,"</a> National Journal, June 8, 2006. re <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Treasongate:_Beyond_Karl_Rove" title="Treasongate: Beyond Karl Rove">Treasongate: Beyond Karl Rove</a></li>

<li>Tom Magurie, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2007/01/we_help_the_edi.html">"We Help the Editors at the National Journal," Just One Minute,</a> Jan. 12, 2007.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/5/20/171523.shtml">"Ashcroft Opposed Privacy Intrusions,"</a> NewsMax, May 20, 2007. re <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bush_administration_warrantless_wiretapping" title="Bush administration warrantless wiretapping">Bush administration warrantless wiretapping</a></li>

<li>Michael Isikoff, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18990233/site/newsweek/?from=rss">"Calling John Ashcroft. The House and Senate Intelligence Committees have asked the former attorney general to testify about his role in a dramatic showdown over a controversial eavesdropping program. Will he play ball?"</a> Newsweek (MSNBC), June 1, 2007.</li>

<li>John Ashcroft, op/ed: "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/05/opinion/05ashcroft.html">Uncle Sam on the Line</a>," New York Times, November 5, 2007.</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Murray_Waas" title="Murray Waas">Murray Waas</a>,<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200809u/gonzales-investigation">"What Bush Told Gonzales,"</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/by/murray_waas">The Atlantic,</a> Sept. 26, 2008.</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Murray_Waas" title="Murray Waas">Murray Waas</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://murraywaas.crooksandliars.com/2008/09/28/bush-appointees-attempted-to-thwart-us-attorney-probe/">"Bush Appointees Attempted to Thwart U.S. Attorney Probe,"</a> personal blog, Sept. 28, 2008.</li>

</ul>

<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_David_Ashcroft">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_David_Ashcroft</a>

===<a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group">https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group</a>

The Ashcroft Group, LLC is a Washington, DC-based <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lobbying_firms" title="Lobbying firms">lobbying firm</a> founded by former U.S. Attorney General <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_David_Ashcroft" title="John David Ashcroft">John Ashcroft</a> in May 2005.

The focus of the firm is "strategic consulting, security and internal investigative services, and crisis counseling," for countries, corporations and industry and political associations, reported The Hill.<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#cite_note-0">[1]</a> O'Dwyer's PR Daily described the firm's anticipated work as to advise "countries on how to beef up law enforcement capabilities and best combat <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Terrorism" title="Terrorism">terror</a>" and "U.S. companies on <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Homeland_security" title="Homeland security" class="mw-redirect">homeland security</a> and governance issues."<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#cite_note-1">[2]</a>

<h2>Contents</h2>

[<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>] </div>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#Profiting_from_9.2F11">1 Profiting from 9/11</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#Clients">2 Clients</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#Staff">3 Staff</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#Contact_information">4 Contact information</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#Articles_and_resources">5 Articles and resources</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#Related_SourceWatch_articles">5.1 Related SourceWatch articles</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#External_resources">5.2 External resources</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#External_articles">5.3 External articles</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-9"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#References">5.4 References</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2>Profiting from 9/11</h2>

Ashcroft Group lobbyist <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Juleanna_Glover_Weiss" title="Juleanna Glover Weiss">Juleanna Glover Weiss</a> remarked of Ashcroft, "The fact that he was attorney general during such a pivotal time in the nation's history, he is more associated with crisis leadership, personal integrity and security and law enforcement than probably any other attorney general in history." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/politics/11546250.htm">[1]</a>

The head of the political watchdog group <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Center_for_Responsive_Politics" title="Center for Responsive Politics">Center for Responsive Politics</a> said Ashcroft is "clearly trading off the whole anti-<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Terrorism" title="Terrorism">terrorism</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/9/11" title="9/11" class="mw-redirect">9/11</a> aspect of his being attorney general. ... One of the thing's he's going to be selling is his access to this administration. He'll be perceived as having the inside track. I think he'll probably find it very profitable." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/politics/11546250.htm">[2]</a>

"<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Danielle_Brian" title="Danielle Brian">Danielle Brian</a>, executive director of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Project_on_Government_Oversight" title="Project on Government Oversight" class="mw-redirect">Project on Government Oversight</a>, said that because Mr. Ashcroft had worked only in government, 'he cannot claim to have any business expertise. ... What is he selling,' Ms. Brian asked, 'other than connections and knowledge of how to game the system from being attorney general?'" <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/03/17/politics/17ashcroft.html">[3]</a>

<h2>Clients</h2>

"Business is brisk for former Attorney General John Aschroft’s new lobbying firm, but it is unclear just whom he represents," reported The Hill in October 2005. Glover Weiss told the newspaper that the only client the firm could name publicly is the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Institute_of_Certified_Public_Accounts&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="American Institute of Certified Public Accounts (page does not exist)">American Institute of Certified Public Accounts</a>. She "declined to say whom it is advising on homeland security, antitrust, corporate governance, intellectual property and money-laundering issues," due to nondisclosure agreements. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/Business/100405_brief.html">[4]</a>

In January 2006, news stories identified <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=LTU_Technologies&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="LTU Technologies (page does not exist)">LTU Technologies</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Israel_Aerospace_Industries&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Israel Aerospace Industries (page does not exist)">Israel Aerospace Industries</a> (IAI) as new Ashcroft Group clients. LTU Technologies is a France-based company involved in email monitoring and "content-based search, retrieval and classification of images and videos," seeking "to land homeland security contrats." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/0104ashcroft.htm">[5]</a>

IAI wants to "secure the U.S. government’s approval to sell a weapons system to the South Korean Air Force." The Hill explained, "U.S. law requires Israel, and any other country seeking to resell American military technology, to secure approval from the Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls." The Israeli aerospace company is competing with U.S.-based <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Boeing" title="Boeing">Boeing</a> for the South Korean contract, which will be awarded by May 2006. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/010406/news2.html">[6]</a>

The Hill also named <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Oracle_Corporation" title="Oracle Corporation">Oracle Corporation</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ChoicePoint" title="ChoicePoint">ChoicePoint</a>, "a company that sells data to police and federal law-enforcement agencies," as Ashcroft Group clients, based on public records. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/010406/news2.html">[7]</a>

In February 2006, O'Dwyer's PR Daily reported that <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/EBay" title="EBay">eBay</a> had hired the Ashcroft Group, "to help on patent reform issues." The story also noted that Oracle paid Ashcroft $220,000, just for work done from October 18 to December 31, 2005. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/0215ebay_ash.htm">[8]</a>

In June 2006, O'Dwyer's reported that <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/General_Dynamics" title="General Dynamics">General Dynamics</a> had hired Ashcroft on "trade and defense issues." Juleanna Glover Weiss, Lori Day Sharp and Willie Gaynor are working on the General Dynamics account. General Dynamics "has been a key beneficiary of the Iraq invasion, according to a June 13 Washington Times profile. A 'steady stream of orders from the U.S. Army, which now total about 25 percent of the company's sales-provides a solid base that will continue for year,' said the WT. The company's net sales have doubled to $21B since '00." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://odwyerpr.com/members/0615gd_ashcroft.htm">[9]</a>

In August 2006, O'Dwyer's reported that Ashcroft was representing <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Dulles_Research_Corporation&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Dulles Research Corporation (page does not exist)">Dulles Research Corporation</a>, "a firm involved in the counter-terrorism and homeland security markets," before the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Defense_Department" title="Defense Department" class="mw-redirect">Defense Department</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Department_of_Homeland_Security" title="Department of Homeland Security" class="mw-redirect">Department of Homeland Security</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/0810ashcroft_drc.htm">[10]</a>

In March 2007, John Ashcroft wrote to Attorney General <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Alberto_Gonzales" title="Alberto Gonzales" class="mw-redirect">Alberto Gonzales</a> and all members of the U.S. House and Senate Judiciary and Commerce Committees, about the proposed merger between satellite radio companies XM and Sirius. The <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Association_of_Broadcasters&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="National Association of Broadcasters (page does not exist)">National Association of Broadcasters</a> had "retained" him to do so, according to Broadcasting & Cable. Ashcroft's letter stated, in part, that "terrestrial radio stations should not be considered part of the satellite radio market for the purposes of the review of the current merger because they are not providing substitute content." The argument (which mirrored NAB's) is the major point of those opposing the merger. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6421256.html?display=Breaking+News">[11]</a>

In July 2009, the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Rockefeller_Family_Fund" title="Rockefeller Family Fund">Rockefeller Family Fund</a> "retained former Attorney General's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_Ashcroft" title="John Ashcroft" class="mw-redirect">John Ashcroft</a>'s lobbying venture to work Congress on its behalf," reported O'Dwyer's. The Ashcroft Group is representing the Fund on the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Waxman-Markey_Climate_Bill" title="Waxman-Markey Climate Bill">Waxman-Markey Climate Bill</a> and "the Clear Act (<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Clear_Law_Enforcement_for_Criminal_Alien_Removal&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal (page does not exist)">Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal</a>), which is a favorite of Republicans. President <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama">Obama</a> wants to strip funding for that bill. That cash is used to reimburse local governments for outlays connected with the round-up and detention of illegal immigrants." <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#cite_note-2">[3]</a>

<h2>Staff</h2>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_David_Ashcroft" title="John David Ashcroft">John David Ashcroft</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Tyler_P._Alcorn&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Tyler P. Alcorn (page does not exist)">Tyler P. Alcorn</a> (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ashcroftgroupllc.com/new/Bios.php?bio=TA">bio</a>)</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_T._Ayres&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="David T. Ayres (page does not exist)">David T. Ayres</a> (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ashcroftgroupllc.com/new/Bios.php?bio=DA">bio</a>); former Ashcroft chief of staff</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Lori_Sharpe_Day&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Lori Sharpe Day (page does not exist)">Lori Sharpe Day</a> (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ashcroftgroupllc.com/new/Bios.php?bio=LD">bio</a>); lobbyist; previously the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Department_of_Justice" title="Department of Justice" class="mw-redirect">Department of Justice</a>’s director of intergovernmental affairs under Ashcroft, a legislative aide in the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S._Senate" title="U.S. Senate">U.S. Senate</a>, and the vice president of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Air_Transport_Association&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Air Transport Association (page does not exist)">Air Transport Association</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=William_C.T.Gaynor_II&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="William C.T. Gaynor II (page does not exist)">William C.T. Gaynor II</a> (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ashcroftgroupllc.com/new/Bios.php?bio=WG">bio</a>); lobbyist; previously the Western finance director for the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bush-Cheney%2704_Inc." title="Bush-Cheney '04 Inc.">Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign</a> and a former <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Department_of_Commerce" title="Department of Commerce" class="mw-redirect">Department of Commerce</a> official</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tracy_A._Henke" title="Tracy A. Henke">Tracy A. Henke</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Susan_Richmond&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Susan Richmond (page does not exist)">Susan Richmond</a> (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ashcroftgroupllc.com/new/Bios.php?bio=SR">bio</a>)</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Juleanna_Glover_Weiss" title="Juleanna Glover Weiss">Juleanna Glover Weiss</a></li>

</ul>

<h2>Contact information</h2>

The Ashcroft Group, LLC

1399 New York Avenue, N.W.

Suite 950

Washington, DC 20005

Phone: 202 942-0202

FAX: 202 942-0216

Email: info AT ashcroftgroupllc.com

Website: <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.ashcroftgroupllc.com">http://www.ashcroftgroupllc.com</a>

News Links: <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.ashcroftgroupllc.com/new/News.php">http://www.ashcroftgroupllc.com/new/News.php</a>

<h2>Articles and resources</h2>

<h3>Related SourceWatch articles</h3>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_David_Ashcroft" title="John David Ashcroft">John David Ashcroft</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Juleanna_Glover_Weiss" title="Juleanna Glover Weiss">Juleanna Glover Weiss</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lobbying_firms" title="Lobbying firms">Lobbying firms</a></li>

</ul>

<h3>External resources</h3>

<ul>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/opr_gifviewer.exe?/2005/E/000/026/000026398%7C2">Lobbying Registration</a>, U.S. Senate, October 2005.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/lobbyists/firmsum.asp?txtname=Ashcroft+Group&year=2005">Lobbying Database: Ashcroft Group, Summary 2005</a>, OpenSecrets.org.</li>

</ul>

<h3>External articles</h3>

<ul>

<li>Sam Hananel, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/politics/11546250.htm">Ashcroft's firm will advise companies, help countries counter terrorism</a>," Associated Press, May 2, 2005.</li>

<li>Judy Sarasohn, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/04/AR2005050402184.html">"From Counselor to Consultant,"</a> Washington Post, May 5, 2005.</li>

<li>Anna Palmer, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1115975116668">"Ashcroft's Lobbying Firm Makes for a First Among Former AGs,"</a> Influence (Law.com), May 16, 2005.</li>

<li>Jonathan E. Kaplan, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/Business/100405_brief.html">Ashcroft Group quiet on who its clients are</a>," The Hill, October 4, 2005.</li>

<li>"<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/1012aicpa.htm">AICPA Taps Ashcroft</a>," O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub. req'd.), October 12, 2005.</li>

<li>"<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/0104ashcroft.htm">Ashcroft's Firm Lobbies for 'Image Miner'</a>," O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), January 4, 2006.</li>

<li>Jonathan E. Kaplan, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/010406/news2.html">Ashcroft helps Israelis on Korean weapons deal</a>," The Hill, January 4, 2006.</li>

<li>Andrew Orlowski, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/11/oracle_ashcroft/">"Oracle helps Ashcroft board the terror gravy train,"</a> The Register (UK), January 11, 2006.</li>

<li>Judy Sarasohn, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/11/AR2006011102067.html">"By the Numbers,"</a> Special Interests/Washington Post, January 12, 2006.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://columbiatribune.com/2006/Jan/20060113News005.asp">"Ashcroft stakes out lucrative new ground,"</a> Chicago Tribune (Columbian Tribune); <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/47/16966">truthout</a>, January 13, 2006.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06013/637181.stm">Editorial: "Lobbyist Ashcroft / The former attorney general sets up on K Street,"</a> Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 13, 2006.</li>

<li>Matt Sterns, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.newsdesk.org/archives/000456.php">"Private sector is paying off for Ashcroft,"</a> The Kansas City Star (newsdesk.org), January 16, 2006.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/1/21/180536.shtml">"Insider Report: Steve Forbes Praises 'Do As I Say',"</a> <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/NewsMax" title="NewsMax" class="mw-redirect">NewsMax</a>, January 22, 2006. Scroll down to "Ashcroft Lobbies Against Boeing".</li>

<li>Bill Berkowitz, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.mediatransparency.org/storyprinterfriendly.php?storyID=109">"'Let the dollars soar'. Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft cashes in as Homeland Security lobbyist,"</a> <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Media_Transparency" title="Media Transparency">Media Transparency</a>, February 3, 2006.</li>

<li>Bill Berkowitz, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0214-05.htm">"John Ashcroft Spreads His Wings,"</a> Inter Press Service (Common Dreams); <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Feb06/Berkowitz14.htm">Dissident Voice</a>, February 14, 2006.</li>

<li>Anna Palmer, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.law.com/jsp/dc/PubArticleDC.jsp?id=1139911509456">"Rebranding John Ashcroft. The former attorney general is sanding off the hard edges as he tries to be a K Street player,"</a> Legal Times, February 20, 2006.</li>

<li>Leslie Wayne, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/03/17/politics/17ashcroft.html">"Same Washington, Different Office,"</a> New York Times, March 17, 2006.</li>

<li>Ashyby Jones, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2006/03/17/john-ashcroft-settling-in-on-k-street/">"John Ashcroft: Settling in on K Street,"</a> Wall Street Journal Law Blog, March 17, 2006.</li>

<li>Ina Steiner, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y06/m03/i20/s03">"eBay Patent Wars: Former AG Ashcroft to Lobby for eBay,"</a> AuctionBytes.com, March 20, 2006.</li>

<li>Arianna Huffington, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.alternet.org/columnists/story/33799/">"John Ashcroft, Lobbyist,"</a> AlterNet, March 20, 2006.</li>

<li>Dawn Kawamoto, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6052226.html">"Ashcroft firm lobbies for tech titans,"</a> CNET News.com (ZDNet), March 21, 2006.</li>

<li>"<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://odwyerpr.com/members/0615gd_ashcroft.htm">GD Picks Ashcroft</a>," O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), June 15, 2006.</li>

<li>"<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/0810ashcroft_drc.htm">Ashcroft Group Reps DRC</a>," O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), August 10, 2006.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://investorideas.blogspot.com/2006_08_13_investorideas_archive.html">"Innova Holdings, Provider of Robotics Solutions for Military, Space and Homeland Security Joins HomelandDefenseStocks.com,"</a> Investor Ideas Blogspot, August 16, 2006: "In addition, Innova Holdings has retained The Ashcroft Group, LLC to assist in building strategic relationships within the military, homeland security, first responder markets as well as the intelligence community." Also see <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Securities_and_Exchange_Commission" title="Securities and Exchange Commission">Securities and Exchange Commission</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.secinfo.com/d12TC3.vuHx.d.htm">info</a>.</li>

<li>Paul Joseph Watson, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.infowars.com/articles/sept11/ashcroft_responds_to_911_foreknowledge.htm">"Ashcroft Responds To 9/11 Foreknowledge Charges. Former Attorney General confronted on radio show, claims reports he stopped flying commercial before September 11 2001 false, war on terror not a money making scheme for some,"</a> PrisonPlanet.com (InfoWars.com), October 10, 2006.</li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=193198">News Release: "Bio-Solutions Manufacturing, Inc. Announces The Ashcroft Group Agreement,"</a> Market Wire, December 11, 2006. re <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bio-Solutions_Manufacturing,_Inc.&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Bio-Solutions Manufacturing, Inc. (page does not exist)">Bio-Solutions Manufacturing, Inc.</a></li>

<li>John Eggerton, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6421256.html?display=Breaking+News">Ashcroft Says XM/Sirius Deal Would Decrease Competition</a>," Broadcasting & Cable, March 2, 2007.</li>

</ul>

<h3>References</h3>

<li id="cite_note-0"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#cite_ref-0">↑</a> Jonathan E, Kaplan, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20051204125727/http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/042805/ashcroft.html">Ashcroft joins K Street legions</a>, The Hill, May 1, 2005</li>

<li id="cite_note-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#cite_ref-1">↑</a> Jack O'Dwyer, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/jack_odwyers_nl/2005/0511.htm">Newsletter</a>, O'Dwyer's Public Relations, May 11, 2005</li>

<li id="cite_note-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ashcroft_Group#cite_ref-2">↑</a> "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/0707rockefellers.html">Rockefellers Reach Out to Ashcroft</a>," O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), July 7, 2009.</li>

</ol>

</div>

<div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Special:Categories" title="Special:Categories">Categories</a>:

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Lobbying_firms" title="Category:Lobbying firms">Lobbying firms</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:United_States" title="Category:United States">United States</a></li>

</ul>

</div>

===

AG firing scandal for not going after vote fraud; led to resignation?

<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/10/29/121029fa_fact_mayer?printable=true&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+trblogposts+%28Hottest+blogosphere+items%29">http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/10/29/121029fa_fact_mayer?printable=true&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+trblogposts+%28Hottest+blogosphere+items%29</a>

</div>

===

blinded; sworn in by thomas

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In late 2000, the company was charged with covering up the illegal releases of 91 tons of the known carcinogen benzene from its refinery in Corpus Christi. Initially facing a 97-count indictment and potential fines of $350 million, Koch cut a deal with then-Attorney General John Ashcroft to drop all major charges in exchange for a guilty plea for falsifying documents, and a $20 million settlement.

----

enron and friends blog:  <a href="http://www.paulkienitz.net/enron/enron-16.html">#16: May 11, 2002</a>

Enron's internal papers reveal their knowledge of using fraudulent means to push electricity prices up.  California officials appeal to the Attorney General, John Ashcroft, to help them get some money back.  But Ashcroft's dealings with polluter Koch Industries show him to be someone who might let any corporation get away with anything.

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violation  (could mean up to 138B$) 35  BUT John Ashcroft used sailor mongering act ~

Greenpeace for 1st x in 132 yrs (fines and probation 5 yrs) fed judge threw out

(!?)

JD gave ron arnold 325K to study eco-terror, JA says #1 terror threat krugman jn

22 nyt 2004  rfk2

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Nov 7, 2000 ... Mel Carnahan collected enough votes to beat out incumbent Republican Sen. John Ashcroft for the U.S. Senate seat from Missouri.

Operation TIPS  Big Lies 106  TIA would track everyhing?

blocked bill that wd require software encryption keys to gov on exports? 208

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<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_David_Ashcroft">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_David_Ashcroft</a>

<a href="http://www.nndb.com/people/352/000022286/">http://www.nndb.com/people/352/000022286/</a>

He has said he was anointed with oil "in the manner of King David" as he took each successive political office in his career. When he became a Senator his father anointed him with Crisco brand cooking oil, and died the next day. Before becoming Attorney General, Ashcroft had Supreme Court Justice <a href="http://www.nndb.com/people/906/000024834/">Clarence Thomas</a> do the anointing.

hmn

This self-righteous former Missouri governor considers himself a moral crusader, but he has more than his share of petty corruption scandals from his past as Missouri governor:

- Declared "economic emergency" to push through an 18-mile, $140 million freeway right to a major contributor's property

- Used state employees for his re-election campaign

- Received (and didn't report) a favorable deal on a boat from a contributor who got $1 million in Missouri state contracts

- His attorney general went to prison for converting state property to his own.

Editor's note: we never finished the Ashcroft page because he dropped out so quickly. But here are a couple of sources:

- a web site that is obviously anti-Ashcroft but seems to have a lot of original documents and articles on line. Lot's on the freeway issue.

<a href="http://members.aol.com/ArkMo1/HR.html"> Ashcroft's Freeway Scandal</a>

- a story in the very liberal though reasonably factual magazine Mother Jones

<a href="http://www.motherjones.com/mother_jones/ND98/saletan.html">Mother Jones Magazine, Nov.-Dec. 1998</a>

realchange

---

revolving door

<a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/rev_summary.php?id=34688">http://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/rev_summary.php?id=34688</a>

---

NRA

<a href="http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/pressroomredirect.cfm?ID=250">http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/pressroomredirect.cfm?ID=250</a>

Nov. 3, 2000

Ashcroft s Ammo

NRA Spends Almost $300,000 to Support Missouri Senator

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. John Ashcroft (R-Mo.) received the National Rifle Association s (NRA) single largest contribution to benefit any federal candidate in this election cycle -- $25,000 -- and his campaign has been bolstered by nearly $300,000 the NRA spent to back his re-election, Public Citizen has found.

"Senator Ashcroft may be the NRA's best friend in Washington, D.C.," said Frank Clemente, director of <a href="http://www.citizen.org/congress/index.cfm">Public Citizen's Congress Watch</a>. "How else can you explain the NRA s largesse? They arm Ashcroft, and he hits his target."

In all, the NRA has spent nearly $300,000 in this Senate election cycle to back Ashcroft, including $48,000 in hard and soft money contributions and almost $240,000 for TV and radio ads, bumper stickers and billboards.

Ashcroft has opposed gun-control measures on 13 consecutive Senate votes since 1996, including votes against funding for the Brady Bill, mandatory background checks for guns sold at gun shows, and requiring safety locks on handguns.

Ashcroft also vigorously supported the NRA's concealed handgun referendum, Proposition B, in Missouri in 1999. The senator even appeared in radio ads, urging voters to approve the hidden handgun proposal. Missouri voters rejected Proposition B in April 1999. But the NRA still rewarded Ashcroft with an unprecedented $25,000 "soft money" contribution in March 2000 to the Ashcroft Victory Committee, a joint fund-raising committee set up by Ashcroft and the National Republican Senatorial Committee to collect unlimited contributions from special interests. The NRA has also given Ashcroft another $21,900 in hard money contributions since he started collecting money in 1995 for his re-election bid (see Table 1).

No other candidate for the House, Senate or presidency received such a huge contribution from the NRA in this election cycle, Public Citizen research shows. And many candidates wouldn t want to collect such soft money, because it circumvents campaign finance law limits on contributions to candidates and amounts to evidence that a candidate is violating the spirit, if not the letter of the law.

Current campaign finance law allows Ashcroft to receive up to $1,000 from an individual per election and up to $5,000 from a political action committee (PAC). Current law prohibits candidates from receiving direct contributions from corporations, unions and organizations such as the NRA. Unfortunately, it does not prohibit those groups from making unlimited soft money contributions to political parties, which can set up committees that directly benefit a candidate, such as the Ashcroft Victory Committee.

Federal candidates, like Ashcroft, help raise these large contributions, and the money is put into accounts that are clearly meant to help them. This skirting of the law blurs the lines between candidate and party fund raising and makes it more difficult to enforce the law.

Such unlimited soft money contributions from corporations, unions, individuals and groups would be banned by campaign finance reform legislation (S. 1593) sponsored by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). But Ashcroft has voted repeatedly against McCain s bill.

Table 1: Gun Lobby Contributions to Ashcroft Election Committees,

Jan. 1, 1995 June 30, 2000

Gun Lobby Special Interest

</td><td height="16" width="23%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" valign="top">

Amount

</td><td height="16" width="26%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" valign="top">

Date

</td></tr><tr><td height="16" width="51%" valign="top">National Rifle Association</td><td height="16" width="23%" valign="top">

$25,000

</td><td height="16" width="26%" valign="top">

30-Mar-00

</td></tr><tr><td height="16" width="51%" valign="top">Sturm Ruger & Co</td><td height="16" width="23%" valign="top">

$1,000

</td><td height="16" width="26%" valign="top">

8-Oct-99

</td></tr><tr><td height="16" width="51%" valign="top">National Rifle Association</td><td height="16" width="23%" valign="top">

$1,000

</td><td height="16" width="26%" valign="top">

12-Jul-99

</td></tr><tr><td height="16" width="51%" valign="top">National Rifle Association</td><td height="16" width="23%" valign="top">

$3,950

</td><td height="16" width="26%" valign="top">

29-Jun-99

</td></tr><tr><td height="16" width="51%" valign="top">Arena PAC (Charlton Heston s PAC)</td><td height="16" width="23%" valign="top">

$1,000

</td><td height="16" width="26%" valign="top">

23-Jun-99

</td></tr><tr><td height="16" width="51%" valign="top">National Rifle Association</td><td height="16" width="23%" valign="top">

$4,950

</td><td height="16" width="26%" valign="top">

23-Dec-98

</td></tr><tr><td height="16" width="51%" valign="top">National Rifle Association</td><td height="16" width="23%" valign="top">

$2,000

</td><td height="16" width="26%" valign="top">

20-Oct-98

</td></tr><tr><td height="16" width="51%" valign="top">National Rifle Association</td><td height="16" width="23%" valign="top">

$5,000

</td><td height="16" width="26%" valign="top">

31-Dec-97

</td></tr><tr><td height="16" width="51%" valign="top">National Rifle Association</td><td height="16" width="23%" valign="top">

$5,000

</td><td height="16" width="26%" valign="top">

11-Oct-96

</td></tr><tr><td height="16" width="51%" valign="top">Total</td><td height="16" width="23%" valign="top">

$48,900

</td><td height="16" width="26%" valign="top"> </td></tr></tbody></table>

</center>

</div>

Source: Public Citizen analysis of Center for Responsive Politics (<a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/">www.opensecrets.org</a>) data.

The $25,000 contribution makes Ashcroft the Senate s leading recipient of gun lobby special interest cash in the 1999-2000 election cycle, when the lion s share of contributions flow to senators up for re-election this year.

Table 2: Top Senate Recipients of Gun Lobby Contributions,

Jan. 1, 1999 June 30, 2000

Rank

</td><td height="16" width="56%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" valign="top">

Senate Recipient

</td><td height="16" width="26%" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" valign="top">

Amount