two for ashcroft
once upon a time (in 2000), attorney general john ashcroft thought he’d make a good president. the federal election commission has fined [washington post, some demographics may be requested] his campaign for illegally accepting $110, 000. that the fine is only $37,000 (it helps to have friends decide your penalties) and there’s definitely some follow-up coming, but what we have here is a disregard for election law that even the republican half of the federal election commission couldn’t make go away.
strike two is in the form of a statement [also the post, same deal] from u.s. district judge gerald rosen, criticizing ashcroft for violating his order to avoid comment on a pending terrorism trial. ashcroft seems to have decided that talking about convicting terrorists is more important than functional legal proceedings, and in so doing jeopardized the trial (which may have “let the terrorists go”!).
there’s more to both stories, but they’re getting good coverage – i encourage you to develop your own perspective. myself, i’m left with the same request i’ve for so many years now:
please, someone. get this man away from my laws.