John Ashcroft facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Ashcroft
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2001
|
|
| 79th United States Attorney General | |
| In office February 2, 2001 – February 3, 2005 |
|
| President | George W. Bush |
| Deputy | Robert Mueller (acting) Larry Thompson James Comey |
| Preceded by | Janet Reno |
| Succeeded by | Alberto Gonzales |
| United States Senator from Missouri |
|
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2001 |
|
| Preceded by | John Danforth |
| Succeeded by | Mel Carnahan (elect) Jean Carnahan |
| Chair of the National Governors Association | |
| In office August 20, 1991 – August 4, 1992 |
|
| Preceded by | Booth Gardner |
| Succeeded by | Roy Romer |
| 50th Governor of Missouri | |
| In office January 14, 1985 – January 11, 1993 |
|
| Lieutenant | Harriett Woods Mel Carnahan |
| Preceded by | Kit Bond |
| Succeeded by | Mel Carnahan |
| 38th Attorney General of Missouri | |
| In office December 27, 1976 – January 14, 1985 |
|
| Governor | Joseph Teasdale Kit Bond |
| Preceded by | John Danforth |
| Succeeded by | William L. Webster |
| 29th Auditor of Missouri | |
| In office January 8, 1973 – January 14, 1975 |
|
| Governor | Kit Bond |
| Preceded by | Kit Bond |
| Succeeded by | George W. Lehr |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John David Ashcroft
May 9, 1942 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Janet Ashcroft
(m. 1967) |
| Children | 3, including Jay |
| Education | Yale University (BA) University of Chicago (JD) |
| Signature | ,_presumably_dated_9-13_July_2002.jpg){kind=small} |
John David Ashcroft (born May 9, 1942) is an American lawyer and former politician. He served as the 79th United States Attorney General under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005.
Ashcroft is a Republican from Missouri. He represented Missouri in the United States Senate from 1995 to 2001. Before that, he held several important jobs in Missouri. He was the state's auditor (1973–1975), attorney general (1976–1985), and governor (1985–1993). After his time in government, he started a consulting firm in Washington D.C.
Ashcroft went to Hillcrest High School and then to Yale University. He earned a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School. He was the first Republican in Missouri to serve two full terms as governor.
After George W. Bush became president, he chose Ashcroft to be the U.S. Attorney General. In this role, Ashcroft supported the USA Patriot Act after the September 11 attacks. He left this job in 2005. His son, Jay Ashcroft, is also a politician in Missouri.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John David Ashcroft was born in Chicago, Illinois, on May 9, 1942. His father, James Robert Ashcroft, was a minister. His mother was Grace P. Ashcroft. John grew up in Willard, Missouri.
He finished Hillcrest High School in 1960. He then went to Yale University and graduated in 1964. In 1967, he earned his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School. After law school, he taught business law for a short time.
Political Career in Missouri
Ashcroft held several important positions in Missouri state government before becoming a U.S. Senator.
State Auditor (1973–1975)
In 1972, Ashcroft ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives, but he lost. Later that year, Missouri Governor Kit Bond appointed Ashcroft to be the State Auditor. This job involves checking how state money is spent.
In 1974, Ashcroft ran to be elected to the auditor position, but he was defeated by George W. Lehr.
Attorney General of Missouri (1976–1985)
.jpg)
Ashcroft worked as an assistant state attorney general for John Danforth. In 1976, Danforth left the attorney general job to run for the U.S. Senate. Ashcroft ran to take his place and won the election. He started as Attorney General on December 27, 1976.
In 1980, Ashcroft was re-elected as Attorney General. He won with a large number of votes, showing strong support across Missouri.
Governor of Missouri (1985–1993)
Ashcroft was elected governor of Missouri in 1984. He was re-elected in 1988. This made him the first Republican in Missouri's history to serve two terms in a row as governor.
In 1984, he ran against Lieutenant Governor Ken Rothman. Ashcroft won with 57 percent of the votes. In 1988, he won by an even larger margin against Betty Cooper Hearnes, getting 64 percent of the vote. This was the biggest win for a governor in Missouri since the U.S. Civil War.
During his second term as governor, Ashcroft was chosen to lead the National Governors Association from 1991 to 1992.
U.S. Senator from Missouri (1995–2001)
In 1994, Ashcroft was elected to the United States Senate for Missouri. He took over the seat from John Danforth, who retired. Ashcroft won with nearly 60% of the vote.
As a Senator, he worked on several issues:
- He disagreed with government rules that limited the use of special computer codes (encryption). He believed people should have the right to keep their messages private.
- He helped extend patents for some medicines, which meant cheaper versions (generics) could not be sold as quickly.
- He held a hearing in the Senate about racial profiling. He said this practice was against the Constitution and supported laws to track police actions.
In 2000, Ashcroft ran for re-election to the Senate. His opponent was Governor Mel Carnahan. Sadly, Carnahan died in a plane crash three weeks before the election. Because of state laws, Carnahan's name stayed on the ballot. The new governor said that if Carnahan won, he would appoint Carnahan's widow, Jean Carnahan, to the Senate.
Carnahan won the election with 51% of the vote. This meant Ashcroft was defeated by a person who had passed away, which was a very unusual event in U.S. political history.
United States Attorney General
In December 2000, after losing his Senate race, John Ashcroft was chosen by President-elect George W. Bush to be the U.S. Attorney General. This is the country's chief law enforcement officer. The Senate approved his appointment.
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Ashcroft strongly supported the USA PATRIOT Act. This law gave the government more power to investigate and prevent terrorism. One part of the law allowed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to get information for investigations.
In July 2002, Ashcroft suggested a program called Operation TIPS. This program would have allowed workers and government employees to report suspicious behavior to law enforcement. However, many people criticized the idea, and the program was eventually stopped.
Ashcroft also supported the Second Amendment, which protects the right to own guns. He believed it was an individual right.
In March 2004, Ashcroft was in the hospital. During this time, there was a discussion about a government intelligence program. Ashcroft refused to sign a document to reauthorize the program. Other top officials also threatened to resign, and President Bush decided to end the program.
Ashcroft resigned as Attorney General on February 3, 2005. He was replaced by Alberto Gonzales.
Consulting and Lobbying Career
After leaving government, Ashcroft started a consulting firm called The Ashcroft Group, LLC, in 2005. This firm helps companies with strategic advice. Many of his clients are involved in homeland security.
In 2011, Ashcroft joined the board of directors for Academi, a private security company formerly known as Blackwater. He also started a law firm, the Ashcroft Law Firm. This firm provides legal advice to various clients.
Personal Life
John Ashcroft is a member of the Assemblies of God church. He is married to Janet E. Ashcroft, and they have three children. His son, Jay Ashcroft, is currently the Missouri Secretary of State.
Ashcroft enjoys music and singing. In the 1970s, he recorded a gospel album. He also formed a barbershop quartet called The Singing Senators with other U.S. senators. He has written several songs, including "Let the Eagle Soar."
Books by John Ashcroft
- College Law for Business, textbook (co-author with Jane E. Ashcroft)
- On My Honor: The Beliefs that Shape My Life (1998)
- Lessons from a Father to His Son (2002)
- Never Again: Securing America and Restoring Justice (2006)
In Popular Culture
- His song, "Let the Eagle Soar," has been featured in movies and discussed by comedians.
- The song was performed at President Bush's inauguration in 2005.
See also
In Spanish: John Ashcroft para niños
