U.S. Brief Asks That Ashcroft Not Testify

kskiska

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Fri Sep-12-03 10:30 PM
Original message

U.S. Brief Asks That Ashcroft Not Testify

DETROIT (AP) - A lawyer for the government said Friday that U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft should not be required to appear in federal court to explain why he violated a judge's gag order during a terrorism trial.

Two weeks ago, U.S. District Judge Gerald Rosen ordered Ashcroft to respond to a motion filed by lawyers for three men who were convicted in June on various charges.

The lawyers said comments by Ashcroft in April during the trial - praising a government informant who testified against the men - had jeopardized their clients' right to a fair trial. Ashcroft said the informant had been ``a critical tool'' in efforts to combat terrorism.

The response filed Friday by U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins said Ashcroft did not willfully disobey the gag order, that his comments had not tainted the jury, and his actions were not sufficient to justify the ``extraordinary step'' of compelling him to testify in Detroit.

more…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3141179,00.html

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HawkerHurricane

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Fri Sep-12-03 10:42 PM
Response to Original message

1. Members of the administration are above the law.

Questioning the administration is terrorism.
Terrorism is punishible by death.
Please report to level six for termination.
Failing to report for termination is terrorism.

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Democat

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Fri Sep-12-03 11:26 PM
Response to Original message

2. Right wingers should be outraged by Ashcroft

Edited on Fri Sep-12-03 11:26 PM by Democat

He hungers for one thing above all other, more government power.

Aren't conservatives supposed to be against more government power?

Where are all the militias that were so upset when Clinton was president?

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MetaTrope

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Fri Sep-12-03 11:45 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. Where are all the militias that were so upset when Clinton was president?

In Michigan...which is why Ashcroft doesn't want to go within a hundred miles of Detroit.

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underpants

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Sat Sep-13-03 08:25 AM
Response to Reply #2

5. When Dick Armey and Bob Barr are so miffed they join the ACLU....

you know you are upsetting your "base".

Libertarians aren't crazy about Ashkroft in fact they see what he is doing as do liberals. Strange bedfellows indeed.

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MaineDem

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Sat Sep-13-03 08:15 AM
Response to Original message

4. Kick

Ashcroft should be held acocuntable.

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InkAddict

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Sat Sep-13-03 10:41 AM
Response to Original message

6. It's all so simple

that government lawyer's afraid of being Wellstoned!

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