Attorney General John Ashcroft Wins ‘Grinch of the Year’ Award

Washington State Jobs with Justice held its annual Whatcom County Grinch Party and election with more than 140 community, labor, faith, and student activist votes cast. John Ashcroft won for using the war abroad to launch a war on Americans; for trying to undermine every basic freedom in our Constitution; for conducting racial profiling; and for still having time to strike down democratically elected state laws in the Northwest.

Ashcroft was one of many deserving “candidates.” Close runner-ups for ‘Grinch of the Year’ were Marlene Dawson, formerly of the Whatcom County Council and a member of the Sandy Point Improvement Company, and Tim Eyman, Permanently Offensive Grinch.

Jobs with Justice activists pledge “we’ll be there, we’re not scared of any Grinch.” By publicly awarding the Grinch of the Year, our expectation is that Ashcroft’s heart will grow three sizes bigger, as Dr. Seuss envisioned. This year’s Grinch candidates cut against the grain of what it means to be an American. They could have shown great leadership to support people in need at a time of national unity. Instead they’ve done the most harm to working families in our community.

Washington State Jobs with Justice is part of a national coalition that brings unions and community groups together in the fight for workers’ rights and broader economic and social justice. With the participation of numerous local unions, congregations and community groups, JwJ stands for the right to organize, civil rights, health care for all, funding community needs, and a living wage. Local community and labor leaders founded JwJ in 1993 to unite diverse organizations in a multi-issue coalition that has grown to include more than 90 organizations.

For more information: Marv Prinsen, 360-366-5806, is the Whatcom County press contact for the organizing committee for the Grinch of the Year award.