February 14, 2004
THE NATION
U.S. Plans to Escalate Porn Fight
Justice Department hire of a veteran prosecutor answers criticism from Christian conservatives who have long sought a crackdown on smut.
By Richard B. Schmitt, Times Staff Writer
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has quietly installed an outspoken anti-pornography advocate in a senior position in its criminal division, as part of an effort to jump-start obscenity prosecutions.
The Bush administration's election-year move follows three years of heat from the Christian right, which believes that Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft, a longtime friend and ally, has fallen down on the job when it comes to fighting smut.
Now, the appointment of a tough new cop on the porn beat and other recent moves by the department to bolster obscenity cases are galvanizing conservatives, while leaving representatives of the adult-entertainment industry to wonder whether they have become a political football.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... -headlines