I don’t know about you, but when I was growing up during the first administration of the second Bush, I was taught that John Ashcroft was the anti-attorney general. Both his foes and his supporters seemed to agree that he was a proud religious-right zealot in terms of God-first, Constitution-maybe, and the remaining job description he got from the president was, “Watch my back, Jack.”
This past week, in sworn testimony before a congressional committee we learn the former senior law-enforcement official of America had a backbone. Fortunately for history, he also had a bad gall bladder.
Former Deputy AG James Comey testified that the administration wanted to extend the wiretap free-for-all. Apparently, Ashcroft thought the initial post-9/11 period of caution had ended and that the United States could begin to return to liberty. But due to surgery he temporarily handed his post over to Comey. Top Bush aides Andrew Card and Alberto Gonzales (who was to succeed Ashcroft), sought to lobby Ashcroft to support extending eavesdropping without search warrants and similar constitutional restraints.
Card and Gonzales saw Ashcroft in post-op intensive care, who said, “No!” And Ashcroft said, “Besides, I can’t endorse it, I’m off sick this week.” Well, words to that effect. If you don’t believe the Post, then check this at other news sources. No one’s denying it, and the president was asked and refused to say if he ordered Andy and Allie to call on the patient.
I’d like to apologize to the Missourian John Ashcroft on behalf of all the blue reds in the country. May I speak for all the Fayetteville liberals? I don’t have clout among them, either, so he’ll just have to accept my acknowledgment of misunderestimating his knowledge of law, study of the Constitution and patriotism toward democratic ideals on behalf of all living creatures of my home, Shady Hill. -30-
