SU College Republicans to host March 27 lecture by former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft

SU College Republicans to host March 27 lecture by former U.S. Attorney General John AshcroftMarch 12, 2007Matthew R. Snydermrsnyder@syr.edu

Syracuse University will host a lecture by former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft on Tuesday, March 27, at 7:30 p.m. in the Goldstein Auditorium of the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center. Event tickets — free to SU students with I.D.; $3 for the general public — are available in person at the Schine Box Office. Event parking will be free, on a space-available basis, in the Waverly and Marion lots.

The event is organized by the SU College Republicans, a recognized student organization. In hosting Ashcroft, the College Republicans are bringing to campus one of the most controversial figures from the Christian right wing of the Republican Party. Ashcroft was attorney general during the first term of President George W. Bush, serving in that role from 2001 to 2005. He played a major role in passage of the Patriot Act following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and became known for his conservative views on drug sentencing laws, abortion and religion.

Ashcroft’s political resume also includes stints as a U.S. senator and governor of Missouri; since his 2005 resignation from the Bush administration, he has headed a Washington, D.C., lobbying and consulting firm and served on the faculty of Regent University, an institution of higher education founded by Pat Robertson. Ashcroft has written several books, including “Never Again: Securing America and Restoring Justice” (Center Street, 2006). Recently, he has been involved in the controversy surrounding the proposed merger of the XM and Sirius satellite-radio services.

For ticket information, call the Schine Box Office at (315) 443-4517.