Democrats Warn of Fight over Ashcroft

Jan. 7, 2001 -- Democratic senators criticized their former colleague John Ashcrofttoday as a “divisive” pick for attorney general, warning of a tough confirmation hearing for President-elect Bush’s most controversial Cabinet choice.

Among Ashcroft’s most vocal critics today wasSen. John Kerry, D-Mass., who said it was “a divisive not unifyingnomination” even though Bush “has specifically said he is aunifier, not a divider.”

Kerry appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, said that Ashcroft has been “on the fringe of a number of different issues that reallychallenge the … minority community that the president-elect isgoing to have to bring together.”

Democratic Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware said Ashcroft, who lost his re-electionbid in November, must convince the Senate he “will vigorouslypursue the civil rights laws that he has — with good reason, fromhis perspective — argued against for the past 20 years.”

Added Biden: “There’s only two places race can be resolved — the courts and the justice system. I may oppose his nomination.”

Republicans Show Support

Sen. Orrin Hatch, who resumes his post as Judiciary Committeechairman once Bush is sworn in, said Ashcroft is “a man of highquality.”

“I would personally resent any votes against him. I reallythink that it’s ridiculous, and I think we’ve gone way too far inthis country just because you differ with somebody on abortion …or because you find some fault one side or the other and try tomake a racial issue out of something that is not,” Hatch, R-Utah,said on Fox News Sunday. “And I get a little sick and tired ofthat.”

Sen. John Kyl, R-Ariz., said the attacks on Ashcroft were“outrageous,” and would ruin a bipartisan spirit Congress istrying to build.

“It’s appropriate to ask the attorney general nominee, ‘Willyou enforce the laws properly?’ … But to create innuendo orinsinuate that there are reasons to believe he won’t, I think, isinappropriate,” Kyl said on NBC.

Ashcroft was elected to the Senate in 1994, but lost his re-election bid this year to the late Missouri governor, Mel Carnahan, whose wife Jean has been appointed to replace him for two years.

Ashcroft Blocked Judicial Nominee

The Senate Judiciary Committee has not scheduled a hearing, but Vermont Sen.Patrick Leahy, the Democrat who is chairman until Bush takes officeJan. 20, has said he wants to begin before then and continue afterinauguration.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson and civil rights groups are mobilizing againstAshcroft, who last year helped scuttle the nomination of a blackMissouri Supreme Court judge, Ronnie White, to the federal bench.White may testify against Ashcroft.

Ashcroft also has criticized desegregation lawsuits in KansasCity, Mo., and St. Louis.

Some Democrats also wonder how Ashcroft, an abortion rights opponent, wouldenforce federal laws banning violence against abortion clinics orlaws that restrict gun ownership.

Ashcroft objected to White because he said the judge was soft onthe death penalty and was “pro-criminal.” He and his supportershave defended his record on diversity, which includes placing thefirst woman on Missouri’s highest court and the first black judgeon the Missouri Court of Appeals in Kansas City.

As Missouri governor from 1985 to 1993, Ashcroft signed into lawa state holiday honoring King; established musician Scott Joplin’shouse as Missouri’s only historic site honoring a black individual;created an award honoring black educator George Washington Carver;named a black woman to a state judgeship; and led a fight to saveLincoln University, which was founded by black soldiers.

Kerry: Moderate Could Have Been Picked

Kerry said Bush could have selected a more moderate Republicanjust as qualified as Ashcroft, such as Montana Gov. Marc Racicot,Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, or former Missouri Sen. JohnDanforth. But “they were vetoed by an element of the Republicanparty that only wanted a John Ashcroft,” Kerry said.

“John Ashcroft comes with a certain set of credentials. Andthose credentials fly in the face of your capacity to bring back tothe center those people who have been alienated in this election,”Kerry added.

But some moderate Democrats continue to express support for Ashsroft. Sen. John Breaux of Louisiana said that while the nominee has taken positions with which many Democrats disagree,“We have to recognize that the president has a right to appointthose who agree with his philosophy to the Cabinet.”

—The Associated Press contributed to this report.