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By Assciated Press
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 16, 2001
A look at parts of John Ashcroft's record as Missouri senator, governor and state attorney general:
Opposes right to an abortion except to save a woman's life and pushed as senator for constitutional abortion ban. As governor, signed law affirming abortion bans in public medical facilities. Failed in attempt to prohibit women from having more than one abortion in a lifetime, except to protect their health.
Opposed laws he says give racial preferences. Co-sponsored 1997 legislation that would have prohibited preferential treatment to anyone on the basis of race or sex in federal contracts, employment or other activities.
As senator, voted against expanding hate crimes law to make it easier for federal prosecutors to try such cases. But as governor, signed 1988 law raising penalties for offenses such as assault or vandalism that were motivated by racial or religious bias. Opposed extending hate crimes protection to gays.
As attorney general, battled public school desegregation court orders resulting from years of federal lawsuits. In later years, continued to criticize the "appalling judicial activism" behind the orders. As senator, called federal judges a "robed, contemptuous intellectual elite."
"Over the last half-century, the federal courts have usurped from school boards the power to determine what a child can learn, and removed from the legislatures the ability to establish equality under the law."