U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft Resigns

andyring writes "In a move that will undoubtedly make many /. readers jump for joy (although perhaps not myself), Attorney General John Ashcroft announced he will resign, according to multiple news sources. While many here dislike him, others have more favorable opinions of him. He became the point man on the USA Patriot Act, which typically ignites harsh opinions on both sides of the aisle." Reader cnsc1rtr , referring to the AP's version of the story, writes "He gave Bush a five-page, handwritten letter in which he stated, 'The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.'"

Comments

Re:I Don't follow politics much ..

[eln]

He resigned because of health problems and exhaustion. Apparently he has been having various medical difficulties over the past year or so. I don't think this one was Bush's decision.

Re:SAFE!

[siliconjunkie]

OK. Here's the article. The statement in question occurs in paragraph three. Please explain how was it taken "out of context"?

Re:Will Bush appoint a more conservative replaceme

[stinerman]

Whoa ... Stalin was an authoritarian communist. Probably the complete opposite of what is considered "conservative".

Take a look at http://www.politicalcompass.org

Successor?

[cnsc1rtr]

from The Yahoo News/AP story:

Speculation about a successor to Ashcroft has centered on his former deputy, Larry Thompson, who recently took a job as general counsel at PepsiCo. If appointed, Thompson would be the nation's first black attorney general. Others prominently mentioned include Bush's 2004 campaign chairman, former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot, and White House general counsel Alberto Gonzales.
[...]
Washington continued to buzz with speculation about the futures of Secretary of State Colin Powell and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.
[...]
Condoleezza Rice, the president's national security adviser, is considered a possible successor for either Rumsfeld or Powell. She has let it be known that she does not want to remain in her current role in the second term, and officials say her path is up or out. Rice said a year ago she wasn't interested in getting enmeshed in the bureaucracy at the State Department, but aides don't rule that out now, particularly with prospects for change in the Middle East.

Re:And now Bush has his first Nominee

[thisissilly]

Nope, only requirement for being on the supreme court is for the President of the US to nominate you, and be confirmed by the Senate.

IIRC, if you look back at history you will find several ex-state governers were made Supreme Court Justices.

Re:Will Bush appoint a more conservative replaceme

[ajakk]

Giuliani has all of qualifications:

• Went to prestigous law school
• Clerked for a federal judge (S.D.N.Y.)
• Worked as an assistant U.S. Attorney
• Worked as an executive U.S. Attorney
• Worked as a full U.S. Attorney
• Was Associate Deputy Attorney General
• Was the Associate Attorney General (third highest position in the DoJ)
• Well liked by members of both parties
• Track record of being extremely tough on crime

Re:SAFE!

[siliconjunkie]

From Ashcroft's letter: The demands of justice are both rewarding and depleting. I take great personal satisfaction in the record which has been developed. The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved. The rule of law has been strengthened and upheld in the courts. Yet, I believe that the Department of Justice would be well served by new leadership and fresh inspiration. I believe that my energies and talents should be directed toward other challenging horizons.

Re:SAFE!

[NaDrew]

If you say enough factually wrong soundbites, people will dismis you AND the people who are after you. Those who don't dismis you will think you are amazing.

It's called The Big Lie and it's a technique with quite a lot of history.

Re:Stalking horse

[Anonymous Coward]

Ashcroft may have suppored the USAPA, but he didn't enact it.

Again, HE WROTE IT.

Over 90% of the words in the act are directly from his office and most of that directly from his hand.

Yeah, he also "supported it" by scaremongering congress into enacting it without even reading it.

In any rational examination that makes him PRIMARILY responsible. All the others are just contributory infringers. They may have abrogated their power to him, but he did not turn it down and still brags of his actions today.

Re:Ashcroft

[imuffin]

Everyone should be asked to read the whole act at least once in their lives. Most people would be surprised how much stuff the government *couldn't* do that just made sense before hand.

Well, according to Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, the members of congress weren't even allowed to read the PATRIOT act before voting on it.

From the article:

Paul confirms rumors circulating in Washington that this sweeping new law, with serious implications for each and every American, was not made available to members of Congress for review before the vote. "It's my understanding the bill wasn't printed before the vote -- at least I couldn't get it. They played all kinds of games, kept the House in session all night, and it was a very complicated bill. Maybe a handful of staffers actually read it, but the bill definitely was not available to members before the vote."

Re:Stalking horse

[Rei]

Oh please yourself. Ashcroft *did* have the DOJ write the Patriot Act, and its principal author was the assistant attorney general Viet D. Dinh. Who did you think wrote it?

Re:SAFE!

[Moofie]

No, Clinton was the master of the nuanced evasion. Bush and his handlers are the masters of doublethink.

Re:Stalking horse

[Rei]

*Sigh* - where do you get this stuff? Newsmax? Washington Times? Try doing some work for yourself, will you?

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:SN0 15 10:@@@S

STATUS: (color indicates Senate actions)
10/4/2001:
Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10307-10333)
10/9/2001:
Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 187.
10/11/2001:
Measure laid before Senate. (consideration: CR S10547-10630)
10/11/2001:
S.AMDT.1899 Amendment SA 1899 proposed by Senator Feingold. (consideration: CR S10570-10575; text: CR S10570)
To make amendments to the provision relating to interception of computer trespasser communications.
10/11/2001:
S.AMDT.1899 Motion to table amendment SA 1899 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 83 - 13. Record Vote Number: 299.
10/11/2001:
S.AMDT.1900 Amendment SA 1900 proposed by Senator Feingold. (consideration: CR S10575-10577; text: CR S10575)
To limit the roving wiretap authority under FISA.
10/11/2001:
S.AMDT.1900 Motion to table amendment SA 1900 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 90 - 7. Record Vote Number: 300.
10/11/2001:
S.AMDT.1901 Amendment SA 1901 proposed by Senator Feingold. (consideration: CR S10583-10586; text: CR S10583)
To modify the provisions relating to access to business records under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978.
10/11/2001:
S.AMDT.1901 Motion to table amendment SA 1901 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 89 - 8. Record Vote Number: 301.
10/11/2001:
Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 96 - 1. Record Vote Number: 302. (text of bill as passed Senate: CR S10604-10630)
10/30/2001:
Senate vitiated previous passage.
10/30/2001:
Indefinitely postponed by Senate by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S11247)

Note something that's missing? You guessed it - the complete addition of a new section (securing our borders). it was *already there*. Kerry voted *against* the amendments listed.

Here is section IV of the bill *AS SUBMITTED* to the senate:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?r107:1:./t em p/~r107BHdfjx:e359387:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi- bin/query/F?r107:1:./tem p/~r107BHdfjx:e371105:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi- bin/query/F?r107:1:./tem p/~r107BHdfjx:e382616:

You people are incorrigible.

Re:Misson Accomplished!!

[gowen]

Well, lets read what Bush said while standing under that banner:

"Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed."

Must be reassuring to the USMC presently in Fallujah that what they're doing isn't a major combat operation.

Because it looks like one to me.