Senator John Ashcroft's Record
Attorney General-Designate John Ashcroft
Unprincipled Attacks On A Man Of Principle
"‘I think it represents a very good choice’. . . the only things people want in an attorney general are ‘good management, sound judgment and high integrity. They’re not easy to find in one individual, but I think John Ashcroft has all of them.’" (David Kocieniewski, "Staunch Democrat Eases Up on Opposition," The New York Times, January 6, 2001) "I certainly assume I will be voting for him." – Sen. Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) (Audrey Hudson, "Democrats Set For Ashcroft’s Confirmation," The Washington Times, January 4, 2001) (emphasis added)

"Your appointment of [African-American] Attorney Hemphill demonstrated your sensitivity, not only to professional qualifications, but also to the genuine need to have a bench that is as diverse as the population it serves. . . . [T]he appointment that you have just made, and your track record for appointing women and minorities, are certainly positive indicators of your progressive sense of fairness and equity. We commend you. . ." – The Mound City Bar Association of St. Louis, one of the oldest African-American bar associations, commending then-Governor Ashcroft (Letter, April 1, 1991) (emphasis added)


In Defense Of John Ashcroft 

Liberals Have Praised Ashcroft As An Honest Man. "Former Sen. Paul Simon, a liberal Democrat whose ideology is the polar opposite of Ashcroft’s, says [Ashcroft] is ‘completely honest.’ Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., who served on the Judiciary Committee with Ashcroft, called him ‘a gentleman’ who was ‘invariably polite and flexible’ in his handling of legislative matters." (David J. Porter, "John Ashcroft Attorney General," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 31, 2000) (emphasis added)

Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) Thinks Ashcroft Will Be Confirmed. "I think his chances of confirmation are pretty good. It will be hard for me to see how he would not be confirmed." (Audrey Hudson, "Democrats Set For Ashcroft’s Confirmation," The Washington Times, January 4, 2001)

Democrat Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) Respects Ashcroft’s Intellect, Integrity, And Principled Positions. "While in many instances I have found myself on the opposite side of issues from John [Ashcroft], I have always respected his intellect, his integrity, his principled positions and his ability to disagree without being disagreeable." (Congressional Record, December 15, 2000)

Democrat Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) Commended Ashcroft. "I rise to pay tribute to Senator John Ashcroft as he prepares to leave the Senate. . . . Senator Ashcroft has been a man of his word who served his state and his country with distinction. I join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in wishing him well in his future endeavors." (Congressional Record, December 15, 2000)

The Detroit News: Ashcroft Is True To His Conscience. "[Ashcroft’s] behavior does indicate he possesses the independence needed in an attorney general. He obviously is true to his conscience, regardless of consequence." (Editorial, "Don’t Harass Sen. Ashcroft," The Detroit News, December 31, 2000)

Ashcroft Stands For Law And Order. "[Ronnie] White’s rejection by Senate Republicans had nothing to do with race and civil rights, and everything to do with law and order and victims’ rights. Republicans should insist that the murdered victims’ families be allowed to testify at Ashcroft’s hearing. White’s Democratic supporters should be forced to face these families and explain why White was qualified for a lifetime promotion to the federal bench. And the police officers who recovered their brothers’ bodies and carried their coffins at their funerals should be heard from as well. John Ashcroft was right to oppose White. He has nothing to apologize for. It’s time to shine the light of truth on what’s really going on here. On the campaign trail, Democrats claim to be tough on crime and advocates for victims’ rights. Back in Washington, however, they fight for the appointment of liberal judges who coddle the worst kind of criminals." (Mark R. Levin, "Ashcroft Was Right," National Review Online, January 3, 2001) (emphasis added)

Senate Judiciary Chairman Hatch (R-UT) Defends Ashcroft’s Record. "[Hatch] defended Ashcroft’s record against critics who suggest that he would not vigorously enforce civil rights laws or might try to undermine abortion rights. ‘He has a record that is exemplary on civil rights and just about everything that has to do with law enforcement,’ Hatch said. When asked about Ashcroft’s opposition to Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion case, Hatch said: ‘Senator Ashcroft is committed to enforcing the laws of the land, even laws that he may disagree with. . . . He will be doing what’s right.’" (Deirdre Shesgreen, "Ashcroft Talks With Hatch, Who Predicts Confirmation," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 4, 2001) (emphasis added)

Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) Calls Ashcroft "A Man Of Immense Character." "To in any way intimate or hint that John Ashcroft, a man of immense character and integrity who no one has ever questioned -- he is able, he’s experienced, he’s smart -- would not in fact implement the letter of every law to the degree that America’s leading law enforcement officer must is in another orbit." (Sen. Chuck Hagel, MSNBC’s "Hardball," January 4, 2001) (emphasis added)

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) Says There Is No Reason To Reject Ashcroft. "I am 100 percent confident that he’ll be confirmed. There is no reason not to confirm him, except for some politics being played by some people at the fringe and, I think, some people who would like to kind of dust up the new president a little bit, perhaps lay the groundwork for fights on conservative judicial nominees. It’s all about politics. It’s not about John Ashcroft. He will be confirmed." (Sen. Jon Kyl, CNN’s "Inside Politics," January 4, 2001) (emphasis added)

Mel Carnahan’s Hometown Paper Says Ashcroft Is A Man Of "The Highest Class." "When Missourians voted the late Mel Carnahan into the Senate. . . Ashcroft graciously conceded. He was an example of the highest of class. Let’s hope Sen. Jean Carnahan shows as much class when it comes time to confirm President-elect George Bush’s appointment of Ashcroft." (Rolla Daily News editorial from January 3, 2001 quoted in The Hotline, January 5, 2001) (emphasis added)

William F. Buckley Hails Ashcroft’s Record. "John Ashcroft has served as attorney general and then governor of Missouri and as a senator from Missouri; and as the man who, noblesse oblige, declined to contest an election loss against a dead man, yielding gracefully to a posthumous vote of sympathy for the widow. The major problem of the inquisitors is that they are talking to a group of men and women who knew John Ashcroft as a colleague, and they are not likely, even in pursuit of the good opinion of the People for the American Way, to reject a man they know as a non-liar and non-racist merely to satisfy ideological bloodlust." (William F. Buckley Jr., "The Perils of Being John Ashcroft," National Review, January 5, 2001)


John Ashcroft: Qualified And Experienced 
  • John Ashcroft graduated with honors from Yale University in 1964. He received a law degree in 1967 from the University of Chicago Law School.
  • John Ashcroft served Missouri as Auditor and as State Attorney General from 1976 - 1984. While Attorney General for the state of Missouri, Ashcroft was selected as president of the National Association of Attorneys General.
  • Ashcroft was the Governor of Missouri for two terms. He won reelection in 1988 by 64 percent, the largest percentage of any Missouri governor since the Civil War. 
  • As Missouri Governor, Fortune magazine rated Ashcroft one of the top ten education governors. He balanced eight consecutive budgets. Financial World and City and State magazines credited Ashcroft with making Missouri one of the best financially managed states in the country. 
  • Ashcroft served as Chairman of the National Governors Association from 1991-1992, as well as the Education Commission of the States and the Republican Governors Association.
  • Ashcroft was elected to the United States Senate in 1994, winning 60 percent of the vote and carrying every county in Missouri. 
  • In the 106th Congress, Ashcroft served on three Senate committees: Judiciary; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and Foreign Relations. He was the Chairman of Subcommittees on the Constitution (Judiciary) and Consumer Affairs (Commerce). (www.johnashcroft.com, January 4, 2001)

Ashcroft Has A Strong Record Of Law Enforcement

Ashcroft’s Record Shows Concern For Women, Hate Crimes And Crime Victims

Ashcroft Co-Sponsored The Violence Against Women Act. Senator Ashcroft was a cosponsor of the Omnibus Crime Control Act of 1997, which sought to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. The bill also provided for fair and accurate criminal trials, sought to reduce violent juvenile crime, promote accountability by juvenile criminals, punish and deter violent gang crime, reduce the fiscal burden imposed by criminal alien prisoners, promote safe citizen self-defense, and combat the importation, production, sale, and use of illegal drugs, among other purposes. (S. 3, Introduced January 21, 1997)

Governor Ashcroft Signed Into Law Missouri’s First Hate-Crimes Bill. In 1988, Governor Ashcroft signed the Institutional Vandalism - Ethnic Intimidation Act into law. Among its many provisions, the law defined the crime of ethnic intimidation and provided protection from crimes motivated by race, color, religion or national origin. (1988 Mo. Legis. Serv. S.B. 678 (Vernon))

As Governor of Missouri, John Ashcroft Fought To Protect Victims’ Rights. During the Ashcroft Administration, the state strongly supported private and public agencies that serve crime victims. Ashcroft supported the Victims’ Rights Constitutional Amendment, which was overwhelmingly approved by Missouri voters. Governor Ashcroft asked the Missouri legislature to "give special attention to legislation regarding the rights of crime victims to ensure that our criminal justice system gives full consideration to the suffering and damage they experience." (A Working Missouri, 1993, p. 89)


Ashcroft Fought To Stop Gun Crimes

Ashcroft Fought To Toughen The Penalties For Gun Crimes. Senator Ashcroft helped enact a law toughening penalties for gun crimes by substantially increasing mandatory minimum prison sentences for the criminal misuse of firearms. (P.L. 105-386, 1998)

Ashcroft Fought To Protect Our Children At School. Senator Ashcroft supported laws to keep our children safe while at school, including a law to allow schools to remove from the classroom any student who possesses firearms at school. Ashcroft also helped pass a law ensuring that the discipline records of dangerous students will transfer with them to any school they attend. (P.L. 106-25, 1999; P.L. 105-17, 1997)

Ashcroft Voted For Background Checks At Pawn Shops. Ashcroft voted to support an amendment that required background checks when a gun was purchased at a pawn shop. (Senate Vote #133, S. 254: Passed 79-21: R 34-21, D 45-0, May 20, 1999)

Ashcroft Was Endorsed By Missouri Law Enforcement Agencies. Both the Missouri Federation of Police Chiefs and the St. Louis Police Officers Association endorsed Senator Ashcroft for reelection in 2000. (John Ashcroft, Press Releases, 2000)

Ashcroft Acted To Fight Drugs

Ashcroft Toughened Drug Penalties And Won "Landmark" Legislation Funding Drug Abuse Prevention And Education. Senator Ashcroft led a fight to make the penalties for abusing amphetamine the same penalty as for crack cocaine. Ashcroft also won enactment of anti-amphetamine legislation called a "landmark" by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, securing $55 million for law enforcement, prevention and education. In addition, Ashcroft successfully led efforts to have Missouri designated as part of the Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), securing $40.3 million in HIDTA funding for anti-methamphetamine efforts since 1996. (P.L. 105-277, 1998)

Governor Ashcroft Fought To Protect Missouri’s Children From Drugs. Governor Ashcroft championed legislation to make Missouri schools drug-free. This included the promotion of Drug-Free School Zones, which imposed stiff sentences for selling illegal drugs on, or near, school property. (A Working Missouri, 1993, p. 76)

Governor Ashcroft Attacked Missouri’s Drug Problem. Total state and federal spending for anti-drug efforts in Missouri increased 393 percent under Governor Ashcroft. (A Working Missouri, 1993, p. 74)

Governor Ashcroft Initiated Missouri’s Statewide Anti-Drug Campaign. Called "Mo says NO," Ashcroft spearheaded the effort to fight drug abuse in schools and communities to reduce the supply of illegal drugs. (A Working Missouri, 1993, p. 75)

Ashcroft’s Real Civil Rights Record

Ashcroft Supported Many African-Americans For Judgeships Both In Missouri And In The U.S. Senate

Senator Ashcroft Supported 26 Of The 28 African-Americans Nominated To The Federal Bench By The Clinton/Gore Administration—All 26 Nominees That Ashcroft Supported Were Confirmed By The Senate. Ashcroft voted for 26 of the 28 African-Americans that were nominated by the Clinton/Gore Administration and confirmed by the Senate. Of the two nominees that Ashcroft did not support, one was withdrawn and Ronnie White was defeated.

Then-Governor Ashcroft Was Commended By One Of The Oldest Black Bar Associations For His Record Of Appointing Minorities. "Your appointment of [African-American] Attorney Hemphill demonstrated your sensitivity, not only to professional qualifications, but also to the genuine need to have a bench that is as diverse as the population it serves. . . . [Y]our track record for appointing women and minorities, are certainly positive indicators of your progressive sense of fairness and equity. We commend you. . . ." (The Mound City Bar Association of St. Louis Letter, April 1, 1991) (emphasis added)

Read the letter of commendation. requires Adobe Acrobat


Ashcroft Appointed Many African-Americans To Missouri’s Courts. Ashcroft appointed a number of African-Americans to Missouri’s courts, including David Mason, Jimmy Edwards, Charles Shaw and Michael Calvin, in St. Louis. He also appointed an African-American to the Western Missouri Court of Appeals in Kansas City, Missouri’s second highest court. This jurist, Ferdinand Gaitan, now serves as a U.S. District Court Judge for Western Missouri. (Senator Ashcroft, Press Release, October 25, 1999)

The First To Sit On St. Louis’ 21st Judicial Circuit. "A lawyer in private practice in St. Louis has become the first black ever to be chosen an associate circuit judge in St. Louis County. Sandra Farragut Hemphill was appointed Wednesday by Gov. John Ashcroft. She will take the oath of office in the next 30 days. Several black judges have been appointed to the bench in St. Louis, but no black until Hemphill had been appointed to a judgeship in the 21st Judicial Circuit of St. Louis County since the county came under the non-partisan court plan in the late 1960s. And no black had won election as a judge before that, court officials say." (William C. Lhotka, "Ashcroft Appoints Judge, Woman Is First Black Associate Circuit Judge In County," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 14, 1991)

As Governor, Ashcroft Celebrated African-American History

Ashcroft Was One Of The First Governors To Sign A Law Recognizing Martin Luther King’s Birthday. While Ashcroft was governor, Missouri became one of the first states to mark Martin Luther King’s birthday. ("Missouri’s Other Hopeful," The Tulsa World, August 3, 1998)

Ashcroft Appointed A Commission To Celebrate King’s Legacy. "The Dr. Martin Luther King State Celebration Commission was appointed in 1986 by Missouri Governor John Ashcroft. The commission recommends to individuals and organizations appropriate activities for the recognition of Martin Luther King’s birthday in Missouri." (Yvonne Samuel, "NAACP Chairman, Harmon Will Be Honored At State’s King Holiday Kickoff," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 3, 1999)

Ashcroft Created An Award Honoring George Washington Carver’s Accomplishments. Governor Ashcroft established an award in honor of the African-American educator George Washington Carver. (Steve Dunleavy, "Let’s Bypass Bleeding-Heart Assaults On John Ashcroft," The New York Post, January 5, 2001)

Ashcroft Established The First And Only African-American Historic Site In Missouri. As Governor, John Ashcroft signed the law establishing ragtime composer Scott Joplin’s house as Missouri’s first and only historic site honoring an African-American. (Steve Dunleavy, "Let’s Bypass Bleeding-Heart Assaults On John Ashcroft," The New York Post, January 5, 2001)

Ashcroft Led The Fight To Save The Missouri University Founded By African-American Union Soldiers After The Civil War. Ashcroft fought to save the financially-strapped independent Lincoln University, founded by African-American Union soldiers. (Steve Dunleavy, "Let’s Bypass Bleeding-Heart Assaults On John Ashcroft," The New York Post, January 5, 2001)


The Truth About The Ronnie White Nomination

Ashcroft Opposed Missouri Judge Ronnie White’s Confirmation Because Judge White Was Soft On Crime

Judge Ronnie White Was President Clinton’s Nominee For A Federal Judgeship. Clinton nominated Judge White twice for a seat on the federal bench. "Mr. Ashcroft expressed reservations about Judge White’s fitness for the federal bench on grounds that the nominee seemed more guided by his own opposition to the death penalty than on the statutes that clearly provided for it. As it happens, the Missouri Federation of Police Chiefs, the Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney’s office and others in the law-enforcement community urged the Senate not to confirm him, partly for the same reason. In one case, [Missouri v. Johnson] Justice White alone opposed the death penalty for James R. Johnson, who was convicted of killing a sheriff, two deputies and a sheriff deputy’s wife in 1991. The wife died in her living room in front of her family." (Editorial, "Spring Training For Liberals," The Washington Times, December 27, 2000)

White Was Opposed By Many Members Of Law Enforcement And Missouri Constituent Groups:

  • The Missouri Federation of Chiefs of Police: "We want to go on record with your offices as being opposed to his nomination and hope you will vote against him." (Congressional Record, October 4, 1999)
  • The National Sheriffs Association strongly urged the United States Senate to defeat White’s appointment. (Congressional Record, October 4, 1999)
  • The Missouri Sheriffs Association, on behalf of 77 of the 114 sheriffs in Missouri, asked the Senate to look very carefully at this nominee, citing specific law enforcement opinions that White had written. The opposition to White was bipartisan: Over 70% of the elected public officials in Missouri are Democrats, and many of the 77 sheriffs were Democrats.(Congressional Record, October 4, 1999)

Read seven letters of opposition from national and Missouri law enforcement agencies: requires Adobe Acrobat


Republicans Across The Ideological Spectrum Voted Against White, As Did The Other Missouri Senator, Kit Bond. Senators such as Arlen Specter, John McCain, Olympia Snowe, Kit Bond and Senate Judiciary Chairman Orrin Hatch opposed the nomination of Judge White. (Senate Vote #307, Nomination Rejected 45-54, October 5, 1999)

Ronnie White Was The Sole Dissent In Brutal Criminal Murders

The case of Missouri v. Johnson was the decisive factor for most who voted against Judge White. James Johnson was tried and convicted on four counts of first-degree murder. He received four separate death sentences. In a sole dissent, White urged a lower legal standard so that this convicted multiple cop-killer would be allowed a new trial to potentially escape all punishment. He sums up his dissent by saying, "This is a very hard case." (Missouri v. Johnson) (emphasis added)

A Brutal Cop Killer Convicted Of Four Murders: Judge Ronnie White Called It "A Very Hard Case"

  • A National Guard mechanic stalked and killed four people -- a sheriff, two sheriff's deputies and a sheriff's wife -- overnight, setting off a daylong house-by-house, business-by-business manhunt here that dragged for almost 24 hours before he surrendered and confessed. Officers used an armored vehicle, police dogs and helicopters to block off a town of 3,300 as assault teams and more than 150 officers from several nearby counties and departments searched the streets looking for the suspect.
  • [T]he killing spree began shortly after 7:30 P.M. with the death of a Moniteau County Deputy Sheriff who answered a domestic violence call at the home of James Johnson, a Vietnam veteran. The deputy knew the suspect and spoke to him for several minutes on the porch of the house. As he turned to leave, Mr. Johnson then pulled a pistol and shot the deputy several times. After inside the house and hearing a groan, Johnson returned to the porch and shot the deputy the final, fatal time. Mr. Johnson then left his house with two pistols, a rifle and a shotgun.
  • About an hour later Johnson struck again. He drove to the sheriff’s residence in Clarksburg, where the sheriff’s wife was hosting a ladies church group and preparing to read the Christmas story from the Bible. The sheriff was not home. Johnson fired through a window of her home and killed her in front of the other ladies and children.
  • Johnson drove to a deputy sheriff’s home next. About 1:20 in the morning, Moniteau County Deputy Sheriff Russell Borts was wounded by a shot fired from outside the deputy’s home.
  • Johnson’s next stop was the sheriff’s department, where other officers were departing to respond to the latest shooting. Cooper County Sheriff Charles Smith and Miller County Deputy Sheriff Sandra Wilson were killed outside the building. ("Gunman Kills Four In Central Missouri," U.P.I., December 10, 1991; Don Terry, "Man Seized After 4 Are Slain by Sniper," The New York Times, December 11, 1991) (emphasis added)

Johnson Confessed To The Crimes In Detail. After the four fatal shootings, Johnson held a 82-year old woman hostage all night and the next day. After she talked him into letting her leave, the police surrounded the house. Johnson eventually threw out his guns, surrendered, and then confessed in detail. (Terance Jeffrey, "A 1991 Missouri Murder Case May Determine Attorney General’s Confirmation How Ashcroft Proved His Integrity," Human Events, January 12, 2000) 

The Defense Attorney’s Own Expert Witness Did Not Agree With The Insanity Defense And Testified For The Prosecution. The defense’s insanity defense didn’t work in part because one of the prosecution’s own experts, Dr. Kurt Guindon, did not agree. "Guindon had been hired by the defense to conduct a psychological examination of Johnson some time shortly after the murders," wrote the Missouri Supreme Court. "After performing the evaluation, Dr. Guindon determined that Johnson did not have PTSD, but he did diagnose a borderline personality disorder with paranoid features. Because a borderline personality disorder diagnosis would be insufficient to relieve Johnson of criminal responsibility for his conduct, the defense decided against using Dr. Guindon as an expert." The prosecution instead called him as a witness. (Terance Jeffrey, "A 1991 Missouri Murder Case May Determine Attorney General’s Confirmation How Ashcroft Proved His Integrity," Human Events, January 12, 2000)

Johnson’s Confession Did Not Fit His Theory Of Insanity. Johnson’s defense claimed he was suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from his service in Vietnam, and that on the night of December 9-10 he actually thought he was back in combat in Southeast Asia. It was a long shot at best given Johnson’s meticulous confession, in which, as the Missouri Supreme Court later pointed out, "Johnson recalled in much detail that his targets were the sheriff and his deputies, not the Viet Cong." "To explain his conduct to authorities," the Supreme Court said, "he related that ‘I knew I had a job to do because [Sheriff] Kenny [Jones] let me down,’ an apparent reference to the fact that Johnson and the sheriff had disagreed on how to handle the ongoing difficulties with his daughter." "Johnson’s detailed and intimate recitations of these events, together with his stated reasons for his conduct," the court concluded, "seem wholly inconsistent with the defense of mental disease or defect. In effect, Johnson admitted that he had known what he was doing and why, and consequently, he was hard pressed at trial to fit the facts to the theory." (Terance Jeffrey, "A 1991 Missouri Murder Case May Determine Attorney General’s Confirmation How Ashcroft Proved His Integrity," Human Events, January 12, 2000)

Death Penalty Not Excessive for Multiple Cop-Killer. The majority opinion stated: "In addition, the death sentence in this case is neither excessive nor disproportionate to the penalty imposed in similar cases. Johnson shot one victim in the back as he was leaving and then came back moments later to finish the murder. He shot another victim through a window while she was sitting in a group of people. He shot another victim while he was leaving the police station. He shot his final victim in the back while she was climbing from her police car. Defendants in similar cases who kill peace officers are often sentenced to death. . . . Accordingly, the sentences of death in this case are not disproportionate." (Missouri v. Johnson) (emphasis added)

Read the full court opinion and White’s dissent. Requires Adobe Acrobat


White’s Dissents Were Part Of A Larger Pattern

White Dissented In Other Criminal Cases, As In A Case Of Rape And Murder By A Lead Pipe. Judge White was also the sole dissent in the case of Brian Kinder, who raped and beat a woman to death with a lead pipe. Kinder was convicted, and sentenced to death. White voted to grant the defendant a new trial, despite clear evidence of guilt, including eyewitness testimony that Kinder was seen leaving the scene of the crime at the time of the murder with a pipe in his hand and DNA evidence confirmed the presence of the defendant with the person murdered. White protested the conviction, alleging that the trial judge was racially biased. White based this allegation on the fact that the judge, at sometime prior to this case, had issued a press release explaining he was changing his party affiliation and noting that he was opposed to affirmative action. (Missouri v. Kinder) (emphasis added)

The Majority Upheld The Conviction And Sentencing Of Kinder. The majority wrote: "We further find that the sentence of death is not excessive or disproportionate to the penalty imposed in similar cases, considering the circumstances of the crime, the strength of the evidence and the defendant’s history. Strong physical evidence established that Kinder murdered the victim during the perpetration of rape. He accomplished the murder by repeatedly beating the victim’s head with a heavy, blunt object. The sentence of death is consistent with the punishment imposed in other cases where the victim was murdered during the perpetration of rape or some other sex offense." (Missouri v. Kinder) (emphasis added)

Ronnie White Was Rejected For Being Soft On Criminals

Ashcroft Rejected Judge White Solely On Merit. Senator Ashcroft defended his choice: "The [White] nomination was rejected on the merits, principally the nominee’s poor record on the death penalty and drug enforcement. Americans of every color are entitled to effective protection from violent criminals and illegal drugs. I will not knowingly support any judicial nominee for a lifetime appointment who is soft on crime. Reps. William Clay and Maxine Waters have chosen to attack my character, rather than discuss the nomination on its merits." (John Ashcroft, "Ronnie White’s Federal Judge Nomination Was Rejected On The Merits," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 28, 1999)

The Atlanta Journal And Constitution: Ronnie White Was A Liberal. "Aren’t the Democrats now bemoaning the Senate rejection of a minority judicial candidate the same partisans who trashed Clarence Thomas on his way to the Supreme Court? . . . Republican senators rejected [Ronnie White’s] nomination because White consistently dissented in death-penalty cases. Missouri law enforcement groups labeled him soft on crime. He had no advocate in the Senate from his home state: Both Missouri senators, Republicans, led the fight against him. Was it because he was black? No, it was because he was too liberal." (Editorial, "Liberalism, Not Race, Scuttled Nominees," The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, October 13, 1999)