Ashcroft just did what was right

Re “Look who’s a good guy now,” Opinion, May 22

Jonah Goldberg distorts the picture and then engages in artful spinning. He gloats over the fact that Democrats have praised former Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft for resisting the Bush administration’s heavy-handed attempt to get him to sign, on his hospital bed, an order authorizing sweeping domestic surveillance powers that had already been determined to be unlawful by the Justice Department.

The fact is that Ashcroft, who richly deserved the criticism he received as attorney general, had very little choice in the matter. If he had complied, he might just as well have disbanded the Justice Department and turned the government over to the White House. The issue is not the faint praise accorded to Ashcroft but the foiling of President Bush’s attempt to establish a dictatorship.

BERNARD COTT

Los Angeles

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Goldberg misses the point by a wide margin. The fact that the Bush administration was willing to sink to depths too low for even Ashcroft scarcely qualifies as rehabilitation. Ashcroft’s behavior says far more about Bush and company than it does about Ashcroft.

JIM BARTELL

Long Beach

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When Ashcroft was appointed, there was no reason to believe he’d be any different than the other puppets and yes-men Bush chose. It was a remarkably pleasant surprise to find out he had more respect for the Constitution than a misguided president. While I’m sure they still wouldn’t want to have a beer with him, many on the left are freely admitting that they misjudged Ashcroft. Should Goldberg ever choose to support what is right over what is right-wing, we’ll be happy to admit we misjudged him as well.

JAMES DUTCHER

Los Angeles