John Ashcroft | |
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79th United States Attorney General | |
In office February 2, 2001 – February 3, 2005 |
|
President | George W. Bush |
Deputy |
Robert Mueller (Acting) Larry Thompson James Comey |
Preceded by | Janet Reno |
Succeeded by | Alberto Gonzales |
United States Senator from Missouri |
|
In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2001 |
|
Preceded by | John Danforth |
Succeeded by | Jean Carnahan |
Chair of the National Governors Association | |
In office August 20, 1991 – August 4, 1992 |
|
Preceded by | Booth Gardner |
Succeeded by | Roy Romer |
50th Governor of Missouri | |
In office January 14, 1985 – January 11, 1993 |
|
Lieutenant |
Harriett Woods Mel Carnahan |
Preceded by | Kit Bond |
Succeeded by | Mel Carnahan |
38th Attorney General of Missouri | |
In office January 10, 1977 – January 14, 1985 |
|
Governor |
Joseph Teasdale Kit Bond |
Preceded by | John Danforth |
Succeeded by | William Webster |
29th Auditor of Missouri | |
In office January 8, 1973 – January 14, 1975 |
|
Governor | Kit Bond |
Preceded by | Kit Bond |
Succeeded by | George Lehr |
Personal details | |
Born |
John David Ashcroft May 9, 1942 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Janet Ashcroft |
Children | 3 (including Jay) |
Education |
Yale University (BA) University of Chicago (JD) |
John David Ashcroft (born May 9, 1942) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 79th U.S. Attorney General (2001–2005), in the George W. Bush Administration. He later founded The Ashcroft Group, a Washington D.C. lobbying firm.
Ashcroft previously served as Attorney General of Missouri (1976–1985), and as the 50th Governor of Missouri (1985–1993), having been elected for two consecutive terms in succession (a historical first for a Republican candidate in the state), and he also served as a U.S. Senator from Missouri (1995–2001). He had early appointments in Missouri state government and was mentored by John Danforth. He has written several books about political and moral issues.
His son, Jay Ashcroft, is also a politician. Jay currently serves as Secretary of State of Missouri.
Ashcroft was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Grace P. (née Larsen) and James Robert Ashcroft. The family later lived in Springfield, Missouri, where his father was a minister in an Assemblies of God congregation, served as president of Evangel University (1958–74), and jointly as President of Central Bible College (1958–63). His mother was a homemaker, whose parents had emigrated from Norway.
Ashcroft went to local schools in Springfield. He attended Yale College, where he was a member of Sigma Tau Gamma and the St. Elmo Society, graduating in 1964. He received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago School of Law (1967).