What Ashcroft and others did in the case of Jose Padilla, and in proposing to amend the Patriot Act to allow for actions without judicial review, was to fundamentally shake the confidence of many Americans in the government's ability to
safeguard our rights. Despite the 'Global War on Terrorism' and despite (or because of) the 'War on Iraq' we are also still highly vulnerable to terrorism.
Source: Against All Enemies, by Richard Clarke, p.257 & 262
Mar 23, 2004
Common-sense conservative
John Ashcroft characterized himself [at his confirmation hearing] as a “common sense conservative” willing to compromise with political foes. Ashcroft recalled that when he led the National Association of State Attorneys General, “I understood
I had to sacrifice some of my advocacy roles.” Ashcroft said he would follow that practice as attorney general.
Ashcroft assured his former colleagues on Tuesday that he could push his personal beliefs aside and enforce laws as they are written
by Congress and interpreted by the Supreme Court even though he may disagree with them. “My primary personal belief is that the law is supreme, that I don’t place myself above the law, that I shouldn’t place myself above the law,”
he said. “So it would violate my beliefs to do it.” If his religious faith ever were to come in conflict with his enforcement of the law, “then I would have to resign,” he said.
Source: By Libby Quaid, Associated Press in Washington Post
Jan 17, 2001
Law is supreme, above his personal beliefs
Sen. Leahy questioned Ashcroft’s opposition to Bill Lann Lee as head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division and Clinton’s nomination of Surgeon General David Satcher. While Ashcroft gave Lee high marks professionally, he said at the time that
Lee’s beliefs “limit his capacity to have the balanced view of making judgments that will be necessary for the person who runs the division.” In other words, Leahy said, Ashcroft had the same questions for Lee and Satcher that Democrats now have for
Ashcroft: Will he be able to enforce laws with which he disagrees?
Ashcroft characterized his differences with Lee and Satcher as policy issues. He said he voted against Lee because of “serious concerns about his willingness to enforce” the Supreme
Court’s decision limiting preferences for minority companies in awarding government contracts. Satcher, Ashcroft said, had backed AIDS studies in Africa that withheld treatment from some pregnant women with HIV to test the effect of a new approach.
Source: By Libby Quaid, Associated Press in Washington Post
Jan 17, 2001
Clinton should fully disclose about Monica & resign if true
Although at this point the allegations involving President Clinton [in the Lewinsky affair] remain to be substantiated, due to their seriousness and the central role of the Presidency in this country, the President should deal with these charges fully,
honestly, and immediately. This President is skilled at telling us what did not happen and what is not true. The American people, however, deserve a full and immediate accounting of what did happen. The President must tell us the whole truth and nothing
but the truth.
If the allegations are true, then the President has disgraced himself and his office, and should resign. The President must enjoy the presumption of innocence. Americans are skeptical, however, because of the poor track record of
President Clinton and the low ethical standards of his Administration. The instant credibility accorded the Clinton allegations is a measure of how deeply compromised this President is in his ability to command the trust of the nation.
Source: Constituent E-mail
Mar 23, 1998
Religious affiliation: Assembly of God.
Ashcroft : religious affiliation:
The Adherents.com website is an independent project and is not supported by or affiliated with any organization (academic, religious, or otherwise).
What’s an adherent?
The most common definition used in broad compilations of statistical data is somebody who claims to belong to or worship in a religion. This is the self-identification method of determining who is an adherent of what religion, and it is the method used in most national surveys and polls.
Such factors as religious service attendance, belief, practice, familiarity with doctrine, belief in certain creeds, etc., may be important to sociologists, religious leaders, and others. But these are measures of religiosity and are usually not used academically to define a person’s membership in a particular religion. It is important to recognize there are various levels of adherence, or membership within religious traditions or religious bodies. There’s no single definition, and sources of adherent statistics do not always make it clear what definition they are using.
Source: Adherents.com web site 00-ADH9 on Nov 7, 2000
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