NPR's Peter Kenyon reports on a new allegation against Attorney General-designate John Ashcroft that opponents hope will hurt his chances for confirmation. Paul Offner, a health-care expert at Georgetown University, said that when he was applying for a state job in Missouri, then-Governor Ashcroft asked him about his sexual orientation. Yet during his appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Ashcroft insisted that he would not consider sexual orientation in hiring for the Justice Department. James Hormel, Bill Clinton's ambassador to Luxembourg who is openly gay, was part of a news conference today called by Ashcroft opponents.

Copyright 2001 NPR