Ashcroft Supporters Fight Hate Campaign

Ashcroft Supporters Fight Hate Campaign

NewsMax.com Wires
Saturday, Jan. 27, 2001

WASHINGTON (UPI) – Attorney General-designate John Ashcroft's opponents are preparing a last-ditch effort to derail his nomination, including a targeted, coordinated lobbying effort and advertising campaigns.

"We are going to start out with targeted senators and move on to the whole Senate," said Kim Gandy, exeuctive vice president of the pro-abortion special-interest group National Organization for Women.

But conservative groups supporting Ashcroft have their own public relations and lobbying campaign ready – and have included on their list Democrats representing states that voted for President Bush or have large numbers of Republican voters. Lobbyists on both sides of the Ashcroft debate said those Democrats are feeling the heat.

"That is part of the target list for senators," said Lori Cole, executive director of the conservative Eagle Forum.

Conservative groups are warning Democrats from Louisiana, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Nevada that they had better support Bush's man. "Those are just a few of the states we are targeting that have a large number of Republican voters," Cole said.

"I do know that that is happening," Family Research Council's Heather Cirmo said. "Some senators who appear to be undecided realize there is some tension back at home."

Several Democrats have already said they would vote for Ashcroft – Georgia's Sen. Zell Miller and West Virginia's Sen. Robert Byrd and, according to the Associated Press, North Dakota's Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan – who represent states that Bush won. And so far, not even pro-abortion Republicans have said they would vote against Ashcroft.

Staff for heavily lobbied pro-abortion Republican Sens. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine said their bosses would vote for Ashcroft barring some undisclosed scandal. "To date, Sen. Snowe has not heard anything that has convinced her that John Ashcroft would not be a good attorney general," Snowe spokesman Dave Lackey said.

But opponents to the nomination are planning a weeklong lobbying attack. Environmental groups will knock on doors Monday, and pro-abortion groups will follow up with lobbying and press conferences Tuesday and Wednesday.

Ralph Neas, president of the left-wing special-interest group People for the American Way, said his group planned to spend $250,000 on print ads opposing Ashcroft's nomination.

But even those opponents admit privately they probably can't stop Ashcroft's confirmation, despite what they claim are misleading statements during his confirmation proceedings last week.

Republicans said Friday they thought Ashcroft would perform well as attorney general. Collins' spokesman said the senator "is inclined to let the president nominate the people he wants regardless of who the president is."

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