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Bush, George W.

Ashcroft and Evans Resign from Bush Administration

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

John Ashcroft, the US attorney-general, and Donald Evans, the US commerce secretary, have resigned from the Bush administration in the first cabinet departures since the president's re-election last week. The resignations leave Mr. Bush without Mr. Ashcroft, the chief architect of the administration's domestic war on terrorism, and a close personal friend who had been a tireless booster of the president's economic program.

Mr. Ashcroft's resignation comes after widespread criticism from civil libertarians and Democrats who have accused him of eroding legal protections for US citizens through his aggressive pursuit of the war on terrorism. Despite this, Mr. Bush credited him with transforming the Department of Justice and ensuring that the rights of Americans are respected and protected.

Key Takeaways:

  • John Ashcroft, the US attorney-general, has resigned from the Bush administration, leaving a legacy of controversy over his handling of the war on terrorism.
  • Ashcroft's resignation was widely expected, but his departure marks the end of a tenure marked by aggressive pursuit of terrorism suspects and criticisms over civil liberties.
  • Ashcroft was the chief architect of the administration's domestic war on terrorism and had been a tireless booster of the president's economic program.
  • Donald Evans, the US commerce secretary, has also resigned, leaving a legacy of trade policies that have been criticized for favoring American business interests.
  • Possible successors to Ashcroft include Larry Thompson, a former deputy attorney-general; Marc Racicot, former Montana governor; Rudolph Giuliani, former New York mayor and prosecutor; and Alberto Gonzales, White House general counsel.
  • Mercer Reynolds III, finance chairman of the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign, is a possible successor to Donald Evans.
  • Ashcroft's departure comes as the administration faces criticism over its handling of the war on terrorism and the impact of the USA Patriot Act on civil liberties.

Statistics:

  • 62: the age of John Ashcroft
  • 5 pages: the length of Ashcroft's handwritten letter to President Bush
  • September 11: the date of the terrorist attacks that led to the drafting of the USA Patriot Act
  • 2002: the year that Donald Evans imposed tariffs on steel imports
  • 58: the age of Donald Evans

Sources:

  • The Times (London)
  • The New York Times
  • The Wall Street Journal

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