Thanks, John Ashcroft

John Ashcroft picked up the nickname "Straight Arrow" when he was governor of Missouri. It wasn't because he shot straight (which he did), but because his religious beliefs and principles disciplined him not to smoke, drink, cuss or dance.

This kind of lifestyle often made some less disciplined people (few would argue those standards were harmful) uncomfortable.

Those who enjoyed the good old boys and their open and carefree breaking of such guidelines were rarely uncomfortable in a good old boy's presence, but they often were when Ashcroft was in the crowd.

Ashcroft was always under intense scrutiny for any flaw, association or action that could be considered a violation of his rigid lifestyle.

I've always enjoyed Ashcroft: his competitiveness, honesty, intellect and leadership abilities.

So have many other Missourians as witnessed by his statewide election as attorney general two times, governor twice and then the U.S. Senate.

However, he has recently retired from what will become historically his greatest achievement: serving as U.S. attorney general during the post-9-11 attacks. His implementation of the Patriot Act (he did not pass it, but he was asked to implement it) has helped to give us three years free from terrorist attacks here in the United States.

His actions to improve sharing of information and breaking down of the barrier between the CIA and the FBI was a major improvement.

Ashcroft has received few media compliments for his success or his Justice Department actions against Enron and another corporate legal violations.

My thanks to John Ashcroft and all those of both political parties who take pay cuts, receive increased media scrutiny, work long hours and make thankless sacrifices while serving in any president's Cabinet.

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The following is from a recent article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch discussing John Ashcroft:

Deputy chief of staff and counsel to John Ashcroft, David Israelite, said Ashcroft had decided that it was time to go. "He felt he had accomplished what he had wanted to accomplish and that it was time to give someone else a chance to come in with fresh energy and ideas." Israelite said Ashcroft planned to stay in his job until Jan. 20 -- Inauguration Day -- or perhaps later, to help ensure an orderly transition.

The job of attorney general was among the most stressful in the Cabinet, particularly in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, and it has taken a toll on Ashcroft's health. He suffered from acute gallstone pancreatitis and had to have his gallbladder removed in March. His recovery took almost a month.

"John Ashcroft has worked tirelessly to help make our country safer," the president said. "John has served our nation with honor, distinction and integrity." Bush tapped Ashcroft, 62, who also served as Missouri's attorney general, after Ashcroft lost his Senate re-election bid in 2000 to the late Gov. Mel Carnahan.

Ashcroft's tenure was controversial from the get-go. His nomination sparked a fierce fight on Capitol Hill, including several days of dramatic confirmation hearings that included testimony from Missouri Supreme Court Judge Ronnie White. As a senator, Ashcroft had engineered the party-line defeat of White's nomination to the federal bench during the Clinton administration.

In his four years at the helm of the Justice Department, Ashcroft presided over sweeping changes, transforming it from an agency focused on investigating and prosecuting criminal cases to sniffing out and stopping terrorist plots. He came under harsh criticism for, among other things, refusing to release the names and other information about the scores of detainees rounded up after the terrorist attacks.

But he resolutely defended his actions. And he clearly viewed the lack of a second attack on U.S. soil his proudest achievement -- an accomplishment also noted by his admirers.

A memo of achievements under Ashcroft released Tuesday night by the Justice Department started out by noting that the United States did not suffer a second attack and added that the department had frozen millions of dollars in suspected terrorism funds, dismantled terrorist cells from New York to Oregon, and brought criminal charges against hundreds of people.

Clifford May, president of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, an anti-terrorism think tank, said Ashcroft has been critical to keeping the country safe.

"Some people may not appreciate how important it has been to have him in this office since Sept. 11," he said. "I am absolutely convinced that there are Americans alive today who would not be had we had another, less-determined attorney general." The Justice Department memo also touted other achievements, including a drop in violent crime, an increase in gun prosecutions and a new focus on corporate prosecutions.

But at the center of Ashcroft's legacy is the USA Patriot Act, a sweeping law that vastly expanded law enforcement's search and seizure powers. Ashcroft said the law was key to protecting the nation in the post-Sept. 11 environment.

While it passed with bipartisan support, the Patriot Act has since come under harsh criticism from Democrats and some conservatives, who complain that the Justice Department went too far in curbing civil liberties.

Israelite said Ashcroft has made no decisions about what his next steps will be or whether he would be returning to his Springfield, Mo., farm to live. Ashcroft also has a house in Washington, where he lives with his wife, Janet.

"He has so many different options for his future," said Ann Wagner, Missouri Republican Party chairwoman, citing his past as a teacher, speaker, author and lawyer, as well as officeholder.

Paul Zemitzsch, a GOP consultant in Missouri, said Ashcroft's long tenure in state government, coupled with his Washington experience, could make him a great resource for Republicans in the state. The GOP will control the Governor's Mansion and both chambers of the legislature for the first time in 80 years.

Gary Rust is chairman of Rust Communications.