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Attorney General John Ashcroft's $210,000 educational campaign on the merits of the 2001 PATRIOT Act did not violate federal anti-lobbying laws, Justice Department auditors concluded.

An investigation by Justice Inspector General Glenn A. Fine found that Ashcroft is immune from federal laws prohibiting political activity and that the department's efforts to educate the public about the law did not meet the "narrow category of agency communication," required to violate the Anti-Lobbying Act. The 1919 law generally prohibits federal employees from lobbying for or against legislation.

The PATRIOT Act, passed soon after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks with the intention of broadening crime fighters' ability to investigate terrorist activities, has received heavy criticism from civil rights groups, which say the law infringes on privacy rights. Justice officials, however, maintain that it is necessary to prevent another terrorist attack.

Ashcroft mounted a campaign in August 2003 to educate the public on the merits of the controversial law. His public relations campaign included making two tours spanning 27 states, setting up a Web site and issuing an order requiring U.S. Attorneys to contact congressional representatives and hold community meetings discussing the law. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO-05-95R), the promotional effort cost more than $210,000.

In response, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, D-Mich., accused Ashcroft of violating a federal law banning propaganda efforts by the executive branch and called for an investigation by the inspector general.

Conyers cited the Aug. 13, 2003 order requiring U.S. Attorneys to contact congressional representatives and conduct community meetings to discuss the law. The memo stated that the attorneys were to educate and influence any vote on the PATRIOT Act, which Conyers said violated federal law.

The inspector general found that Ashcroft did not violate anti-lobbying laws because as a political appointee, the attorney general is exempt from them. Fine, in an Oct. 22, 2004 letter to Conyers, said the national tours were not "purely partisan," and Ashcroft did not urge members of the public to contact their legislative representatives.

COMMENTS

• I may be mistaken but I don't think you can make a contribution to the ACLU through CFC this year. It appears that this same Patriot Act requires charities to report contributions from folks considered shady by Uncle Sam and a number of charities have decided not to participate and violate their contributors privacy rights. I have a horrible sinking feeling after watching the returns last night that our basic freedoms as Americans have been lost. This administration will say I am an alarmist and not grounded in reality but four more years of our basic rights being whittled away slowly will kill this Republic. Frogs always jump out of a pot of boiling water but if you slowly raise the temperature with the frogs already in the pot-- they will die and not even realize they are being cooked. GovExec.com reader Posted November 3, 2004 6:35 AM
• I would have never believed ... Mr. Ashcroft helped me decide where to earmark my CFC contribution for this year - in fact, he alone kept me from withdrawing my support of the CFC. I have continued participation and earmarked all funds to the ACLU - they appear to be one of the few, if not the lone outfit, fighting this wholesale attack on the Constitution by Mr. Ashcroft and his DOJ minions. The President, Congress,and the entire Judicial Branch of the government should be ashamed of allowing and/or encouraging this attack on our basic freedoms - they have already given Mr. Bush's so-called "evil ones" a victory by passing the unamerican and unpatriotic, PATRIOT ACT. I have never had much use for the ACLU, I am a lifelong hunter, gun owner, former law enforcement officer and veteran, but I suppose it is time to stop our reckless politicians and their appointees, hopefully my contribution will help. My thanks and money both go to the ACLU. GovExec.com reader Posted October 28, 2004 4:14 PM
• Now the Bush administration is spending the taxpayers dollars to justify the Patriot act. Is it any wonder our country is going to be in bankruptcy in a couple of years. We spend your money to justify a lousy law. The facts are: $1.5 million on TSA bubbas and $210,00 on how great the Patriot act is. You will notice that there wasn't a penny spent on Federal Employees that do real work every day. I hope you see where the priorities are - they are not with the workers. If you vote for Bush you will get more of the same. I can hear all the Bush lovers now, "I didn't know that was what all of that stuff meant". How do you impeach a lame duck president who controls the legislative, the supreme court and the white house? GovExec.com reader Posted October 28, 2004 8:18 AM