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From a People For the American Way letter:
George W. Bush's decision to nominate former Sen. John
Ashcroft to the position of Attorney General--the nation's chief
enforcer of civil rights laws--is an insult to every person who is
committed to our nation's promise of equal justice for all. People
For the American Way strongly opposes Ashcroft's nomination, and we
urge you to support our efforts to fight his confirmation.
Ashcroft's record on civil rights is abysmal. More than twenty
years ago, as Missouri's Attorney General, Ashcroft brought suit on
behalf of the State of Missouri against the National Organization for
Women because NOW called for a convention boycott against states who
refused to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The courts rejected
this attempt to suppress NOW's political activities. More
recently, as a United States Senator, Ashcroft led a deceptive and
reprehensible campaign that ultimately led to the Senate's rejection
of federal judicial nominee Judge Ronnie White. Judge White was the
first African American to sit on the Missouri State Supreme Court and
was highly qualified for appointment to the U.S. District Court.
Ashcroft's voting record in Congress is equally troubling. He voted
against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and against the Hate
Crimes Prevention Act, but voted for vouchers and voted to eliminate
the National Endowment for the Arts. Ashcroft has vehemently opposed
all choice laws, and opposes abortion, even in cases of rape and
incest. Ashcroft has close ties with Religious Right leaders, and
has received 100% ratings from the Christian Coalition and Phyllis
Schlafly's Eagle Forum. Conversely, the National Organization for
Women, the National Abortion Rights Action League, the Human Rights
Campaign and the League of Conservation Voters have all given
Ashcroft 0% ratings. The Leadership Council on Civil Rights gave
Ashcroft a 10% rating.
We hope you'll join us in our opposition, and will fight Ashcroft's
confirmation to the position of United States Attorney General.
PFAW PRESIDENT RALPH G. NEAS' STATEMENT
While it is extremely rare for People For the American Way to oppose
an Executive Branch nomination, we must oppose strongly the
nomination of John Ashcroft to be Attorney General of the United
States.
The Attorney General of the United States is not only the lawyer for
the President, but also the lawyer for the people of the United
States. He is the principal enforcer of our nation's civil rights
laws.
John Ashcroft is the antithesis of the person required to lead the
Department of Justice. With the possible exception of Senator Jesse
Helms, I do not believe anyone in the United States Senate has a more
abysmal record on civil rights and civil liberties.
The office of Attorney General is the worst executive branch
position for George W. Bush to use as political payback to the far
right. This nomination is an insult to every person who is committed
to our nation's promise of equal justice for all.
The nomination of John Ashcroft to Attorney General is a particular
poke in the eye to African Americans after Ashcroft's incredibly
irresponsible behavior to block the federal judicial nomination of
Judge Ronnie White.
This is truly an astonishingly bad nomination.
George W. Bush's decision to nominate former Sen. John
Ashcroft to the position of Attorney General--the nation's chief
enforcer of civil rights laws--is an insult to every person who is
committed to our nation's promise of equal justice for all. People
For the American Way strongly opposes Ashcroft's nomination, and we
urge you to support our efforts to fight his confirmation.
Ashcroft's record on civil rights is abysmal. More than twenty
years ago, as Missouri's Attorney General, Ashcroft brought suit on
behalf of the State of Missouri against the National Organization for
Women because NOW called for a convention boycott against states who
refused to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The courts rejected
this attempt to suppress NOW's political activities. More
recently, as a United States Senator, Ashcroft led a deceptive and
reprehensible campaign that ultimately led to the Senate's rejection
of federal judicial nominee Judge Ronnie White. Judge White was the
first African American to sit on the Missouri State Supreme Court and
was highly qualified for appointment to the U.S. District Court.
Ashcroft's voting record in Congress is equally troubling. He voted
against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and against the Hate
Crimes Prevention Act, but voted for vouchers and voted to eliminate
the National Endowment for the Arts. Ashcroft has vehemently opposed
all choice laws, and opposes abortion, even in cases of rape and
incest. Ashcroft has close ties with Religious Right leaders, and
has received 100% ratings from the Christian Coalition and Phyllis
Schlafly's Eagle Forum. Conversely, the National Organization for
Women, the National Abortion Rights Action League, the Human Rights
Campaign and the League of Conservation Voters have all given
Ashcroft 0% ratings. The Leadership Council on Civil Rights gave
Ashcroft a 10% rating.
We hope you'll join us in our opposition, and will fight Ashcroft's
confirmation to the position of United States Attorney General.
PFAW PRESIDENT RALPH G. NEAS' STATEMENT
While it is extremely rare for People For the American Way to oppose
an Executive Branch nomination, we must oppose strongly the
nomination of John Ashcroft to be Attorney General of the United
States.
The Attorney General of the United States is not only the lawyer for
the President, but also the lawyer for the people of the United
States. He is the principal enforcer of our nation's civil rights
laws.
John Ashcroft is the antithesis of the person required to lead the
Department of Justice. With the possible exception of Senator Jesse
Helms, I do not believe anyone in the United States Senate has a more
abysmal record on civil rights and civil liberties.
The office of Attorney General is the worst executive branch
position for George W. Bush to use as political payback to the far
right. This nomination is an insult to every person who is committed
to our nation's promise of equal justice for all.
The nomination of John Ashcroft to Attorney General is a particular
poke in the eye to African Americans after Ashcroft's incredibly
irresponsible behavior to block the federal judicial nomination of
Judge Ronnie White.
This is truly an astonishingly bad nomination.