John Ashcroft honored for his commitment to free speech (or lack thereof)

You might think Attorney General John Ashcroft’s obvious hostility for civil liberties might make him ineligible for an award dealing with free speech. But you’d be mistaken.

The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression has selected Ashcroft, among 10 others, as one of the top public officials for stifling free speech. According to a report in the Washington Post, the decision was announced last week as part the group’s 12th annual “Jefferson Muzzle Awards.”

As the Post story explained, Ashcroft clearly earned the honor for a “a series of acts to suppress public and media access, including ‘the blanket…prohibition of public and press access to immigration deportation hearings,’ limiting the scope of his department’s responses to requests for records under the Freedom of Information Act and for spending $8,000 on drapes to conceal two semi-nude statues during news conferences in the Great Hall of the Justice Department.”

Congratulations to the attorney general for the well-deserved honor. It couldn’t have gone to a more appropriate person. (And thanks to Carpetbagger friend Chief Osceola for the heads up on the story.)