Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) today called upon the Inspector General's office to conduct an investigation of Attorney General John Ashcroft's use of government funds to pay for his "Patriot Act" tour. American Progress Report has the details. His letter to Inspector General Glenn Fine begins:

I am writing to ask that the Office of the Inspector General investigate whether the Attorney General of the United States violated federal law by conducting public relations efforts to stem criticism of and generate support for the USA PATRIOT Act and the U.S. Department of Justice's enforcement of that law. I believe these efforts violated not only prohibitions on propaganda efforts by the Executive Branch but also the Anti-Lobbying Act.

For those of you who think this is an election ploy, think again. Democrats have been complaining about Ashcroft's use of public funds to go on tour to plug the Patriot Act since it began. Check out this 9/9/03 letter to the U.S. Comptroller General from Rep. Conyers and Sen. Leahy at the end of the tour requesting an accounting.