John Ashcroft’s former aide has stated that he just doesn’t see what all the fuss is about after the U.S. Attorney gave Ashcroft’s firm a grotesque $52 Million contract to monitor a settlement. 

As discussed earlier on this blog, U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie hand-picked five team to monitor the settlement with a leading maker of knee and hip replacements, including the Washington-based Ashcroft Group Consulting Services. The agreement is only for $311 million, but Ashcroft could receive $52 million if compliance becomes an issue.

Christie worked under Ashcroft until Ashcroft stepped down in 2005, but just does not see why anyone would question the contract for a firm that is only a few years old and headed by one of the most controversial lawyers in America.

“If he were still my boss or potentially my boss in the future, I guess that would be something to talk about, but you know I just don’t see it as an issue,” Christie said. “I hired him because I know he’s somebody of honesty and integrity and who has the experience to be able to do a job like this.”

It appears that Christie has a high threshold for shame.

The deal calls for Zimmer Holdings of Indiana to pay Washington-based Ashcroft Group Consulting Services an average monthly fee between $1.5 million and $2.9 million. That includes a flat payment of $750,000 to the firm’s “senior leadership group,” individual legal and consulting services at up to $895 an hour and as much as $250,000 in monthly expenses.

So, Ashcroft’s firm will get both a flat fee and an hourly rate — including his fee for his “leadership group,” which must refer to the same leadership that destroyed the credibility of the Justice Department around the world.

Christie was previously best known as the man who mysteriously was able to get off the list of low-achievers being fired by the Gonzales team. While Christy says he never knew he was on the list, others have pointed to the suspicious turn of events after he was put on the list in January 2006. In September 2000, Christie approved a last-minute subpoena targeting Democrat Bob Menendez — viewed as a major help to Republican Tom Kean Jr. in the midst of his hard election. After the election in November 2006, Christie was no longer on the hit list.

Normally, an annual holiday basket is sufficient to show appreciation to a former boss. How Christie went from a gift basket to $52 million is a matter that Congress should investigate.For the full story, click  here