The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
May 5, 2011

Ashcroft Hired as Blackwater "Ethics" Director 
-----------------------------------------------



The private military firm Blackwater has hired former U.S. Attorney
General John Ashcroft as the company’s new "ethics" chief. In a
statement, Blackwater said Ashcroft will serve as "independent
director,” tasked with overseeing accountability and promoting ethics
and professionalism. Blackwater is currently under investigation for its
involvement in a 2007 shooting massacre in Baghdad that left 17
civilians dead and more than 20 wounded. The firm has also been accused
of falsifying documents to acquire unauthorized weapons, defrauding the
government and endemic use of steroids and cocaine. Ashcroft served as
Attorney General during President George W. Bush's first term.
Blackwater now goes by the name Xe Services.



.