Class News

Terry Holcombe ‘64 remembers an Ashcroft-Comey connection

February 3, 2018

Terry Holcombe wrote to Class Secretary Tony Lavely:

As a point of interest and lost in the mists of time are the heroic actions of our classmate Attorney General John Ashcroft, in stark contrast to the politicians of all parties in Washington today, when expediency and not principle seems to drive everything. And with James Comey in a supporting role. It begs the question what would John have done?

In March 2004, the Justice Department under Ashcroft ruled that the Stellar Wind domestic intelligence program was illegal. The day after the ruling, Ashcroft became critically ill with acute pancreatitis. President Bush sent his White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales and Chief of Staff Andrew Card Jr. to Ashcroft's hospital bed. They wanted him to sign a document reversing the Justice Department's ruling. The semi-conscious Ashcroft refused to sign. Acting Attorney General James Comey and Jack Goldsmith, head of the Office of Legal Counsel for DOJ, were there to back him up.

Below is a picture of Robert Mueller, John Ashcroft, and James Comey, back in the day.