Read Transcript of Ashcroft's speech at Bob Jones University

INTRODUCTION:

President-elect George W. Bush has nominated outgoing Missouri Sen. John Ashcroft as the nation's 79th U.S. Attorney General. This appointment has ignited protests from groups concerned with a battery of issues, everything from the protection of rights for gays, woman and others to Ashcroft's record on environmental and judicial matters. American Atheists joins with these groups, and is speaking out against Ashcroft's nomination for his stand on First Amendment and civil liberties issues, and the threat he poses to the separation of church and state. Much of the news coverage on his proposed appointment mentions the fact that his father was an Assemblies of God minister, and that Mr. Ashcroft is a deeply religious individual who holds prayer meetings and Bible study sessions in his office. He even asked to be "anointed" prior to being sworn in as Missouri's governor. It is John Ashcroft's stand on public policy issues, though, which should concern all who value civil liberties and the separation of government and religion.

EXTREME FRIENDS

The November, 2000 election was still three years away, but John Ashcroft had announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination for the White House. His candidacy quickly attracted the support of religious right organizations and leaders including Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition; James Dobson, self-appointed "traditional values" guru and head of the Focus on the Family; homophobic preacher D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Ministries; and televangelist Jerry Falwell, whose "People of Faith 2000" political committee was gearing up to mobilize unprecedented numbers of Christian conservatives for the year 2000 election. Unlike other candidates running in the GOP pack, Ashcroft was considered a solid supporter of the religious right agenda for America. He advocated prayer in public schools, elimination of the so-called "marriage penalty" tax and passage of a Human Life Amendment that would outlaw abortion.

* Ashcroft has consistently received high marks from groups like Christian Coalition and Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum for his legislative record. In his first year in the Senate, he was one of only eight legislators to receive a 100% rating from Robertson's group. His ties to Christian Coalition have been especially close, and he has addressed the group's annual "Road to Victory" conference where Robertson outlines the organization's immediate political agenda, and often showcases potential candidates for public office. In September, 1997, Ashcroft and other GOP nomination hopefuls put on a political "beef walk" for Robertson and 5,000 supporters in Atlanta. Robertson used the occasion to tell the audience that it was time to clean house in Washington, D.C.

"We are going to have a pro-family conservative in the White House, so help us God," declared Robertson.

Ashcroft, then a first-term Senator from Missouri, was still testing the political waters, and was in hot competition with other candidates including millionaire publisher Steve Forbes, former Vice President Dan Quayle and commentator Alan Keyes. During his address to the Coalition, Ashcroft skillfully blended religion and politics, telling Robertson's group that he and his wife "seek your prayers in the months ahead as we consider the pursuit of the nation's highest office."

News reports, including a September 15, 1997 CNN story noted that with his strong anti-abortion message, "Ashcroft impressed a lot of people." Robertson was sufficiently impressed that he, along with wife Adelia, contributed $10,000 to Ashcroft's political action committee, Sprit of America PAC. In addition, Christian Coalition Director of Development Gretchen Purser, signed on to head Ashcroft's direct mail campaign. While working for Robertson, she had built the Coalition's mailing list from 200,000 names to 4 million. Ralph Reed, outgoing Coalition Director, announced the following year that he was leaving the group to establish his own political consulting firm, Century Strategies, based in Atlanta. Reed quickly became an advisor to Ashcroft's campaign organization.

Robertson and other religious right leaders were still eyeing other potential candidates for the White House, but were impressed by Ashcroft's showing in straw polls. Ashcroft would also gain points with religious conservatives by playing hardball over the "moral authority" issue and the White House scandals involving Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. Ashcroft referred to the President as a sexual "predator," and was among the first to raise the question of impeachment just days after the Lewinsky story broke.

Ashcroft's public indignation and moral self-righteousness, though, did not motivate him to question the morals of other Republicans who had been involved in divorce, extra-marital affairs and other personal peccadilloes. News reports noted such behaviors by GOP powerbrokers such as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Rep. Bob Barr of Georgia. Ashcroft also came under attack for renting his Spirit of America PAC mailing list to the Linda Tripp Defense Fund on behalf of the woman who taped private telephone conversations with Monica Lewinsky. The fact that Ashcroft, a U.S. Senator would have sat in judgment of President Clinton led to charges of partisanship and conflict of interest. Maggie Thurman, a spokesperson for the Missouri State Democratic Committee told the September 29, 1999 Missouri Digital News, "Clearly, while Ashcroft was supposed to be an impartial juror he had a side deal with the prosecution's chief witness..."

During his presidential nomination bid, Ashcroft won endorsement and praise from religious right leaders including Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Jay Sekulow (American Center for Law and Justice), Tim LaHaye (doomsday novelist and former founder with Jerry Falwell of the Moral Majority), Phyllis Schlafly and others. His religious credentials were even lauded by Bob Jones IV in the October 11, 1997 issue of WORLD MAGAZINE, a publication headed by Bush policy advisor Marvin Olasky. Olasky is a key ideologue in the "faith-based partnership" movement which advocates using religious ministries to operate social service programs using a sectarian message.

QUESTIONS, CHARGES OF IMPROPRIETY

Despite his public persona and a squeaky-clean "Man of God" who sings Gospel songs and preaches in church, questions and accusations of impropriety have plagued Ashcroft. Among them:

* As governor, he declared an "economic emergency" to have an 18-mile freeway built using the right of way of a major campaign contributor's property at the cost of $140 million.

* Ashcroft ended up firing a fund-raising operative who was accused of making fraudulent claims of POW sightings in Southeast Asia -- but only hours after reporters began investigating. A November 11, 1999 Associated Press story links Ashcroft to Bruce W. Eberle, who since 1974 has been a political operative inside the beltway. "Eberle's firm came under fire during 1993 congressional hearings on POW-MIA affairs."

At question was an emotional money plea from a retired Air Force colonel, which claimed to be hand-written "at a makeshift desk on the deck of the Akuna III" while the "China Sea is tossing and rolling." It sought money for an MIA rescue operation. In fact, the fund-raiser was crafted by Bruce Eberle & Associates of Maclean, Virginia, which had also helped raise funds for two Ashcroft's presidential committee Ashcroft 2000 and Spirit of America PAC.

Associated Press reported that the boat had actually been docked for two years when the letter was sent out, and that Bailey's group kept more than 88% of the $2.2 million in contributions.

During the congressional hearings, the claims were denounced by both Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), both Vietnam war vets.

"It's fraudulent. It's disingenuous. It's grotesque, it's grotesque on its face," Kerry said of the fund raiser.

Reporters and others found the timing of Ashcroft's decision to fire Eberle and his firm disturbing. A spokesperson for the GOP candidate said, "We were totally and completely surprised by this," and denied any knowledge of the controversy. Sen. Kerry was more restrained, and told reporters that he was surprised the firm was still doing business "after such cheap exploitation."

Jim Jordan of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said that was surprised to learn of the tie to the Missouri senator, and added, "It's difficult to believe that neither Sen. Ashcroft nor his staff were aware of Mr. Eberle's past activities..."

* Another issue -- one which has at least temporarily dropped off the media and political radar -- is why Mr. Ashcroft was picked over an earlier candidate to fill the Attorney General's post, that being Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating.

After dropping out of the GOP primary contest early in the race, Ashcroft parroted the Christian Coalition line of support then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush as the Republican most ideologically correct who could defeat the presumptive Democratic candidate, Vice President Al Gore. Ashcroft drifted into the Bush camp; this, along with his religious conservative credentials, may explain why he is being tapped for the AG post. There may be other factors, though. News reports suggest that Gov. Keating was ahead of Ashcroft on the nominee list; he has impeccable conservative credentials, and enjoys friendly relations with religious right power brokers. Keating may have bumbled, though, in August, 1999 when he made certain statements about then-candidate George W. Bush and reports of possible drug use. Keep in mind that Ashcroft had demanded rigorous personal accountability from President Clinton over the Lewinsky imbroglio. Keating, when questioned about possible cocaine and marijuana use by Bush, said that the Texas governor should "answer questions about conduct that is arguably criminal." The Washington Post later noted that despite his political popularity on the right, this utterance "won him (Keating) no friends in Austin."

THE THREAT TO CIVIL LIBERTIES, ABORTION RIGHTS AND PERSONAL FREEDOM

Tough questions are being raised about whether as Attorney General Mr. Ashcroft would be willing, or even capable of enforcing the nation's constitutional and legal statutes. His extreme views on abortion rights, equal treatment for gays and lesbians and civil liberties issues have led many groups to question or oppose his nomination to be the nation's top law enforcement official.

* Civil rights group are opposing the appointment, and cite Ashcroft's involvement in helping to kill the nomination of Missouri Supreme Court Judge Ronnie White, a black, to the federal judiciary. Ashcroft described the jurist as a "dangerous" and "pro-criminal" judge who "habitually searches for technicalities that benefit cold-blooded killers." Even key Republicans like Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch and Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, though, had originally supported Judge White, but suddenly switched their position at the behest of Mr. Ashcroft.

* Would Mr. Ashcroft support abortion rights for women, legally-mandated buffer zones around abortion clinics and other laws relating to this volatile issue? Ashcroft has consistently been considered "the anti-abortion candidate" for the religious right. He has supported the disingenuous Human Life Act which would ban abortion in nearly all forms in the United States and, say critics, would even result in the prohibition of main forms of contraception including birth control pills and possible even the IUD.

Referring to the Nixon-era Attorney General, Kate Michelman of the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) has warned: "Not since Ed Meese would the U.S. have an Attorney General as hostile to a woman's right to choose. This appointment (of John Ashcroft) signals Bush's down payment on his IOU to anti-choice hard-liners."

Ashcroft's stance on contraception and abortion threatens an unprecedented invasion by Big Government into the lives and bedrooms of millions of Americans. A study by the Alan Guttmacher Institute shows that 90% of women in the 15-44 years age category use some form of contraception. Fully 27% use the pill, and another 5% the IUD. Outlawing these and other forms of birth control as part of a broader Ashcroft agenda to oppose all abortion seriously affects both the constitutional liberties and lifestyles of these women, and their families.

Indeed, during his term in the senate, Ashcroft joined with Sens. Jesse Helms and Bob Smith in supporting anti-abortion legislation including the Human Life Act which outlawed the procedure even for victims of rape and incest. All of this has resulted in praise for Ashcroft from anti-choice groups, including the extremist American Life League.

THREATENING SEPARATION: ASHCROFT AS THE ARCHITECT OF "CHARITABLE CHOICE"

For Atheists and others concerned with the separation of church and state in America, John Ashcroft's record on the First Amendment is most troubling. Barely into his tenure in the U.S. Senate, Ashcroft successfully promoted a "Charitable Choice" provision which was included in the 1996 welfare reform act. This measure allows sectarian groups to compete for federal money in order to administer social services without abandoning their religious character. The statute exempts faith-based organizations from many of the control which apply to other service providers. A church operating a welfare program may, for instance, discriminate in its hiring practices based on any number of criteria, including religious belief.

Unfortunately, the Ashcroft legislation made a bad situation worse. Religious groups have been obtaining public money for years in order to operate social programs which they usually take credit for. Catholic Charities, which is the nation's largest faith-based charitable outreach, receives nearly 60% of its funding from government sources. Prior to the "Charitable Choice" provision, though, there were regulations which sought to ensure that the money was only used for secular activities, not religious rituals. A group accepting government funds, for instance, could not -- in theory, anyway -- use the money to promote any religious belief or activity.

Ashcroft's amendment to the 1996 has the effect of inviting and encouraging religious groups to step up to the public treasury, ask for money, and then develop social programs without having to restrain their faith-based message or character. The statute was popular on both sides of the congressional aisle, and the act was signed into law by President Clinton.

Other legislation supported by Ashcroft, and high on the agenda of the incoming Bush administration, would further muddle the constitutional waters and recklessly expand the involvement of religious groups in the operation of faith-based social services. The "Charitable Choice" provision is part of a wider mix of legislative proposals at the federal, state and local level under the heading of "faith-based partnerships" which seek to meld public money and religious outreaches.

"This amounts to a 'Religion Tax' on the American people," says Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists. "It compels millions of Atheists and others who profess no religious beliefs, to open their purses and wallets so that churches and other sectarian groups can 'do their thing' at taxpayer expense."

"This goes against one of the important principles of the American revolution, which was the disestablishment of religious groups," Johnson added. "Beginning in 1776 and over the next half-century, states ended their tax support and other privileges for 'established' religious groups. We are a nation founded on the notion that no one should be compelled to support any religion, or religion in general, especially with their taxes."

Bush policy advisor Marvin Olasky, though, has suggested that "maybe disestablishment wasn't such a good idea." He proposed a "multi-establishment" of religion whereby sectarian groups of all beliefs would benefit from public policy, including grants, tax credits and other forms of assistance. While Olasky is suspicious of "Charitable Choice" -- fearing that with government money could follow government regulation of the groups accepting grants -- he, Ashcroft, Bush and others are determined to use government to involve religious groups in the operation of public services.

The prospect of a defacto "Religion Tax" on the American people is one of the greatest threats to the wall of separation between church and state embraced by Thomas Jefferson and so many of the Founders of our republic. They knew that permitting this financial entanglement between government and religious not only threatened the independence of religious group, but unfairly compelled Americans to support churches and doctrines they might disagree with.

In its January 7, 2001 issue, the New York Times noted why Pat Robertson and other religious right leaders are frantic about having John Ashcroft appointed as the nation's next Attorney General.

"If confirmed by the Senate hearings expected to begin this month, Mr. Ashcroft would reach the highest office ever attained by a leading figure of the Christian right. The appointment would place him at the head of the Justice Department, a sprawling government legal agency that is often at the front lines of the pitched battles over emotion-laden social issues like abortion, the death penalty, crime, civil rights and the selection of federal judges."

Others in the emerging Bush administration also embrace policies which threaten the separation of church and state; but more than any figure, John Ashcroft represents the "inside man" for extremist religious right groups such as Christian Coalition which for years have labored to erode First Amendment rights, and create an American theocracy, "One Nation Under (Their) God."

We urge you to join us in vigorously opposing the nomination of Sen. John Ashcroft.

WHAT YOU CAN DO...

* CONTACT CONGRESS. Visit http://www.atheists.org/action/ and learn more about the Ashcroft nomination. Get information on how to contact your U.S. Senator, or sign our special on-line e-mail letter which will be sent to capitol hill directly from our web site!

* JOIN US ON JANUARY 20, 20001 AT THE INAUGURAL PROTEST in Washington D.C. American Atheists will be joining the demonstrations in our nation's capitol, and speaking out against Ashcroft, the social agenda of the Bush administration, and plans to impress a "Religion Tax" on the American people! Visit http://www.atheists.org/action/defwall-ashcroft.html.

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