Ashcroft Clears Judiciary Committee

W A S H I N G T O N, Jan. 31, 2001 -- Attorney general nominee John Ashcroft's confirmation hangs in the balance, as he awaits for the confirmation vote in the Senate Thursday.

Senate confirmation debate continued late into the night, where Ashcroft is facing his most organized and feverant opposition, and congenial support.

Ashcroft supporters say opponents have distorted the former senator's record on issues like abortion. But Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-MA, said that the nation deserves someone better, citing Ashcroft's record on civil rights as the largest area of concern.

"Civil rights is the unfinished business of America, and the people of this country deserve an attorney general who is sensitive to the needs and rights of all Americans regardless of color," Kennedy said on the Senate floor today. "Neither Senator Ashcroft, nor his supporters have been able to provide that assurance."

Other Senate Democrats were equally as vehement in their attacks of Ashcroft.

"What did John Ashcroft say about moderates, he said, quote, there are two things you find in the middle of the road, a moderate and a dead skunk and I don't want to be either," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-CA. "Mr. President, I've looked into the heart of John Ashcroft, I don't think he's the right person for this job."

Organized Opposition

Sen. Thomas Daschle, D-S.D., told reporters he hoped 41 of hisparty's 50 senators would oppose Ashcroft to signal the Bushadministration that Democrats have the clout to block futurenominations.

Daschle commented as senators debated the nomination, withsupporters calling Ashcroft a man of integrity and opponentsquestioning whether his conservative positions on civil rights,abortion and other issues would influence his decisions in theJustice Department.

Despite the Democratic rally cries in the Senate and in the House, not all Democrats were against confirming Ashcroft. Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-CT, said he would vote to confirm him, but with reservations.

"Listen well, John Ashcroft. There are those of us here today who could easily vote against your confirmation," Dodd said. "The temptation and the politics are certainly complelling, but have decided to give you a second chance… and an opportunity that you denied Ronnie White, Bill Lann Lee, James Hormel and others."

Sen. Bob Smith, R-N.H., railed against Ashcroft's critics.

"He's above them all," Smith said. "They couldn't tie his shoelaces, his critics, or even shine his boots."

The nomination cleared the committee Tuesday with support from all nine Republicans and only one Democrat, Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin.

"It has been nearly a continuous custom of the Senate to confirm a president's nominees to the Cabinet in all but the very rarest of circumstances," explained Feingold.

Feingold said he was extending "an olive branch... not a white flag."

Committed Statesman, or Divisive Politician?

Ashcroft, an ardent conservative and a hero to the religious right, has promised to uphold all existing laws, even those with which he disagrees. But that has done little to placate many Democrats and some 200 special interest groups that have lined up to oppose his nomination.

"I wish the president had sent an attorney general who would unite us, instead of dividing us," said the committee's ranking Democrat, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. "We have the most divisive nomination for attorney general that I can remember in the 26 years I've been here in the Senate."

But Ashcroft is expected to get the support of all 50 Senate Republicans — many of whom were his colleagues just months ago — and at least four Democrats. Republicans believe that in the end, as many as 20 Democratic senators will vote for Ashcroft.

"He is strenuously committed, he has always been strenuously committed to a policy of equal justice and opportunity for all and has a long record which supports this commitment," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who serves as the committee's chairman.

Testifying earlier this month before the committee, Ashcroft faced tough questioning about his positions on a wide range of issues, including abortion rights, civil rights, a speech he delivered at Bob Jones University in South Carolina in 1999, and comments he made in praise of Confederate leaders.

Josh Jacobstein, Bob Hardt and the Associated Press contributed to this report.