home

Ashcroft's Expensive Patriot Act Tour

By Jeralyn, Section War on Terror
Posted on Wed Oct 13, 2004 at 08:30:30 AM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

Last year Attorney General John Ashcroft embarked on a three week tour of the country to promote the Patiot Act, followed by a one week Liberty Tour. How much did he spend bringing the Administrations' propoganda to those beyond the beltway? According to the GAO, more than $200,000.

Rep. John Conyers asked for the accounting. Now that it's in, he is asking for an investigation.

The law maker accused Ashcroft (pdf) of violating federal laws that prohibit the executive branch from conducting "propaganda" or legislative lobbying with public money.

The Justice Department responded:

The Justice Department claimed that the USA PATRIOT Act tour served the under-acknowledged secondary purpose of law enforcement information sharing. "This dialog between the Attorney General and state and local law enforcement occurred at nearly every stop during the Attorney General's travels," wrote Paul Corts, assistant attorney general for administration. "The Attorney General's staff took notes to record the input offered by state and local law enforcement and then followed up on these suggests and concerns afterwards."

< Supreme Court to Hear Juvenile Death Case Wednesday | PFC Lynndie England Gives Birth >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Ashcroft's Expensive Patriot Act Tour | 0 comments ( topical)