Attorney General John Ashcroft doesn't have enough to do, hunting down terrorists. With the help of a rollover Congress, he now has a new and bigger club to go after federal judges who impose lighter sentences in criminal cases than he would like. Read
full story.
CMU Professor's Web Site Causing Controversy
Controversy is brewing over a web site at a Carnegie Mellon University. Some people say the site promotes terrorism because it includes instructions for building a bomb. Read full story.
Ashcroft's Memo and Sherman Austin: Coincidence?
Attorney General John Ashcroft distributed a memo on on July 28, 2003. He wants prosecutors to closely monitor which judges impose more lenient sentences than federal guidelines recommend, a step some critics say could limit judicial independence. Sherman Austin had a hearing scheduled on July 28, 2003, that the CLERK FORGOT TO ENTER ON THE JUDGE'S SCHEDULE. On August 4, 2003, Sherman returned to court and Judge Wilson gave him 12 months in prison. Coincidence?
