releases: https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-opposes-nomination-of-senator-john-ashcroft-as-attorney-general
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-opposes-nomination-of-senator-john-ashcroft-as-attorney-general | CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA LEE OPPOSES NOMINATION OF SENATOR JOHN ASHCROFT AS ATTORNEY GENERAL | 2001-01-17 | 2001 | 2001-01 | Democrat | House | CA | Barbara Lee | L000551 | lee.house.gov | legacy | 01.17.01 CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA LEE OPPOSES NOMINATION OF SENATOR JOHN ASHCROFT AS ATTORNEY GENERAL Oakland, CA - Congresswoman Barbara Lee today announced her opposition to the nomination of Senator John Ashcroft as Attorney General, while members of the Congressional Black Caucus walked out of the Senate nomination hearing in protest of his divisive record of public service."I am deeply troubled that Senator John Ashcroft has been nominated to lead the department that defends the rights and freedoms of all Americans" said Lee. "He has built a career on opposing those rights and seeking to dismantle all that women and minorities have fought for." In December, Congresswoman Lee, other members of the Congressional Black Caucus, and civil rights leaders met with Attorney General Janet Reno to request a Justice Department investigation into widespread voter intimidation and harassment, a disproportionate number of antiquated voting machines in minority communities, and other voting irregularities in Florida. The Congressional Black Caucus is concerned that the Justice Department will not aggressively pursue those investigations under Ashcroft, who has shown little commitment to protecting civil rights, including equal voting rights. "The one vote-one person principle must be more than empty rhetoric, and we must make sure that what happened in Florida does not ever happen again," said Lee. "Ashcroft has shown little commitment to equal voting rights throughout his many years in public service, and I am skeptical that he will pursue a course of action to remedy the voting rights violations that occurred in Florida." "Furthermore, Senator Ashcroft has repeatedly tried to eliminate a woman's right to choose, and even opposes a woman's right to use common contraceptives such as birth control pills," said Lee. "He has opposed civil rights remedies, including school desegregation orders and affirmative action laws, and has failed to endorse racial profiling legislation. Ashcroft led an unscrupulous campaign against a well qualified African American judge, and looks to the confederacy for his heroes." Congresswoman Lee concluded, "By nominating a person with this kind of record to be the nation's top law enforcement official, President-elect Bush has dramatically widened the political rifts in our country; rifts he pledged to bridge during his campaign, and following his questionable election." ### Next Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |