Ashcoft Fined for Breaking Election Laws

[mourningdove92]

US attorney general fined for breaking law
By Marcus Warren in New York
(Filed: 18/12/2003)


John Ashcroft, the US attorney general, has been fined £21,000 for breaking election laws during his defeat by a dead rival for a seat in the Senate.

During his unsuccessful campaign in 2000, America's top lawman illegally accepted £62,700 from a body set up to support a run for the presidency, the Federal Election Commission found.


John Ashcroft
A controversial, deeply religious figure, Mr Ashcroft was standing for re-election as a senator from Missouri. Humiliatingly, he was beaten by an opponent who died in a plane crash before polling day.

His rival's widow, Jean Carnahan, was later awarded the seat. One dissenting Democrat member of the FEC protested against the size of the fine, calling it "so low that I do not believe it adequately reflects the severity of the conduct at issue".

However, two Republicans on the commission described the offence as "a garden-variety complaint . . . blown far out of proportion".

Mr Ashcroft's Senate campaign fell foul of the law by using a mailing list compiled by a committee to explore a bid for the White House. The resulting contributions exceeded the legal limit and, to make matters worse, his campaign failed to disclose them.
http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/12/18/wash18.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/12/18/ixworld.html/news/2003/12/18/wash18.xml

[JaySherman]

1. However, two Republicans on the commission described the offence as

"a garden-variety complaint . . . blown far out of proportion".

Sure. Garden variety for Republicans. Breaking election laws is par-for-the-course them. Just another day at the office. Just business.

[grannylib]

2. If this were someone Clinton had appointed we'd never hear the end of it

[Beetwasher]

3. The top law enforcement official

'nuff said. :freak:

[indepat]

4. In comparison to what Ashcroft has done in aggregate as AG, that

piddly offense didn't even rise to "garden variety."

[jbfam4]

6. The top law enforcement official

is above the law. He doesn't think laws were made for him...he is the law. How sad that no one in the pub party will come forward and talk about how important the rule of law is. They sure did it to Clinton. So I guess a President isn't above the law , but the AG is.

[littlejoe]

5. Ashcroft is an eyesore and embarrassment to us Missourians.

[Fovea]

7. Agreed

And coming from a state that gave the world Jeff Christie, we are hard to embarass.