Ashcroft, John David (1942-…), was attorney general of the United States from 2001 to 2005, during President George W. Bush’s first administration. From 1995 to 2001, Ashcroft had served as a member of the U. S. Senate, representing Missouri.
Ashcroft had already been serving as attorney general for a number of months when, on Sept. 11, 2001, the United States suffered the worst terrorist attack in its history. After the attack, Ashcroft helped coordinate a massive investigation to find those responsible. He successfully pressed Congress for broadened powers for the Justice Department to prevent future attacks. But he received criticism from people who felt such powers would limit civil liberties.
As a senator, Ashcroft worked on legislation designed to give states control over more government programs. He was a strong opponent of abortion and supported the idea of limits on the number of terms members of Congress may serve.
Ashcroft was born on May 9, 1942, in Chicago. He later moved with his family to Springfield, Missouri, where he graduated from high school. He received a bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1964 and a law degree from the University of Chicago in 1967.
Ashcroft ran for Congress in 1972 but lost. From 1973 to 1975, he served as Missouri state auditor. Ashcroft was Missouri state assistant attorney general in 1975 and 1976 and state attorney general from 1976 to 1985. He served as Missouri’s governor from 1985 to 1993. He won election to the U.S. Senate in 1994 but narrowly lost a bid for reelection in 2000. In 2005, Ashcroft opened the Ashcroft Group, a lobbying firm based in Washington, D.C. That same year, Regent University hired Ashcroft to teach law and government courses at its Washington, D.C., campus.
