U.S. Fidelis Hires Former Attorney General Ashcroft's Law Firm
U.S. Fidelis, the auto warranty company that's currently being investigated by 40 state attorneys general for questionable business practices, has hired the law firm headed by former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. The firm won't represent the company in litigation, but is supposed to provide an internal review of their practices. They'll also provide draping cloths for any immodest statuary, and wiretap kits for employees of interest. Hey, it's hard to do topical humor on someone who's been out of office for 4 years.
"U.S. Fidelis hires Ashcroft firm" [St. Louis Business Journal]
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Got a call from them this morning. Told them I had a 1997 Chevy Venture with 25,000 miles on it. Kept the guy on the phone for 25 minutes yapping back and forth. The original quote was $3500.00 for the 3 yer "protection plan", which by the way was bumper to bumper. Got him down to $2500.00. When he was ready to close the deal I started talking about these hearings...then the phone went dead. Oh well.
It was fun while it lasted.
Let the scaaaamers sooaaar,
Like they've never soaaared before
From cell phones to land lines,
Let the mighty scammers soooaaar.
So what?
This dude lost an election to a dead guy.
@festivusfreeforallguy: Lol, I try to do that, but they always call me while I'm at work and someone always comes up and when i ask to put them on hold for a minute, they don't even reply and just hang up, bastards.
Good for U.S. Fedelis. John Ashcroft has a lot of connections and that will help them in their legal battles. This is good for both parties because U.S. Fedelis will clean up their alleged illegal activities and the costumers will benefit.
That's a coincidence--or not, that Ashcroft is from Missouri, and a lot of the auto warranty calls I get are from a Missouri number with 417 area code. I'm betting right now that southern Missouri is the center of the scam auto warranty telemarketing universe.
I've gotten at least two auto warranty calls in the last week. These people obviously aren't planning to go into hiding while they work up their next business idea.
@bilups: I didn't think a President could just abolish legislation. Doesn't he need a congressional vote for that?
@TEW: Thank goodness that costumers will benefit-- I was concerned that all the actors in shows currently running on Broadway would be naked!
And you're awfully willing to see US Fedelis let off the hook, huh?
@HiPwr: So, what are you saying, that wire taps are OK? That Ashcroft is an OK guy? Or are you just taking the opportunity to take an irrelevant swipe at Obama?
@dragonfire81: Exactly. He can only "abolish" things that were signed in by Bush as an Executive Order (e.g. the conscience rule for pharmacists and other medical providers, shutting down of Guantanamo, etc).
@razremytuxbuddy: I should have read the article before commenting. They ARE from Missouri. And most importantly, "the company takes each complaint seriously."
The company says it has a customer base of 270,000, which is less than the 300,000 complaints supposedly on file with the FTC.
Ouch. That has to be one of the worst cases of Bleak House I've seen.
Never trust anything or anyone from St Louis.
@formergr: The legislation gave the government certain powers. The president can simply dictate that government will no longer use those powers.
@takes_so_little: Wire taps are used all the time in law enforcement since the days of J. Edgar Hoover on. This is news to you?
@TEW: Sorry but no. The desired goal is to see these companies shut down. Robo calling people on the DNC list AND on their cell phones to sell them scammy warranties that are worthless. There is no clean up potential.
@razremytuxbuddy: A previous article mentioned that Fidelis claims to have some christian based religious doctrine they follow as part of their business. Ashcroft is fairly well known for being of that same ilk. So geography and ideology probably had the most to do with hiring them.
@HIV 2 Elway: That's my favorite Ashcroft tidbit. "I have stood next to Death and people liked him better."--Dan Fielding, Night Court
@HiPwr: "Let me be clear: this compromise is not as good as the Senate version of the bill, nor is it as good as the SAFE Act that I have cosponsored. I suspect the vast majority of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle feel the same way. But, it's still better than what the House originally proposed. This compromise does modestly improve the PATRIOT Act by strengthening civil liberties protections without sacrificing the tools that law enforcement needs to keep us safe. In this compromise: we strengthened judicial review of both National Security Letters, the administrative subpoenas used by the FBI, and Section 215 orders, which can be used to obtain medical, financial and other personal records; we established hard time limits on sneak-and-peek searches and limits on roving wiretaps; we protected most libraries from being subject to National Security Letters; we preserved an individual's right to seek counsel and hire an attorney without fearing the FBI's wrath; and we allowed judicial review of the gag orders that accompany Section 215 searches. The compromise is far from perfect. I would have liked to see stronger judicial review of National Security Letters and shorter time limits on sneak and peak searches, among other things." [Speech on the Senate Floor, 2/16/06]
@HiPwr: No, it's not news. I was talking about the warrantless wire taps, but I think you know that. And you didn't answer my question. Allow me to rephrase: what does your disapproval of Obama have to do with the article?
@takes_so_little: Did I say that I disapprove? I think both Bush and Obama were/are taking steps necessary to protect this nation. My comment was on the author's connection between wire taps and a law firm hired by U.S. Fidelis. The implication, as I see it, is that Ashcroft is this nefarious character because he engaged in activities that Congress authorized him to do.
Wow, a scumbag, representing a whole team of 'em! Perfect fit!
OK, if he was in charge of things during the Rennaissance, Ashcroft would have whacked the pee-pee off of David with a chisel. And gods know his OMG Terrorist Alert: CHARTRUSE was absurd. And his savaging terminally ill patients using medical marijuana is off-the-charts awful.
But hat's off to the man for standing up to Gonzalez, Bush and Card over the NSA spying fiasco while in the ICU. Props where props due.
@edwardso: Come on people, there's a whole song that could use a re-tooling for just this occasion! I can't do it all by-me-self!
Get crackin!
@bohemian: For God's sake! The Christian business model is at the root of this too? Sheesh. Money changers, false prophets...just stick a Jesus fish on your logo and commence fleecing the flock. In my town someone actually publishes a directory of local "Christian businesses," so they can all find one another, like it's some exclusive private club. How unChristian can you get?
(I'm of the Christian faith too, but it's for personal faith reasons, which I manage to keep entirely separate from my business.)
He will pray their troubles away! Glory!!!! Really, does anyone believe he won't provide legal advice up to the point of walking into the courtroom?
@HIV 2 Elway:
Lived there for 4 years... And I must say that I agree whole heartedly with you. Although I did have a whole lot of bad fun during those four years.
@veg-o-matic:
Love it!
Was about to reference the song in a comment myself but you did a better job than I was going to do anyway...good one!
It's pretty stupid what this page has degenerated into.
@floraposte: Or, as Robin Williams put it, "Choices in Missouri were: John Ashcroft - Dead Man. And people in Missouri went: 'I'm sorry, John, but the dead man scares me less than you do.'"
@HiPwr:
So you're saying Ashcroft isn't nefarious? I'd suggest that you're wrong, and that the implication is completely justified, but that's just from my point of view. You may view his actions as necessary in order to protect the country or what have you, such as arresting Tommy Chong for selling bongs, but in my opinion, Tommy Chong isn't exactly a drug kingpin or even very influential at this point in his life. This action alone is representative of the shadiness and, to be quite frank, incredible stupidity indicative of Ashcroft and the Bush administration.
@TEW:
How will the consumer benefit by US Fidelis hiring good (they may suck for all I know, but I have a feeling they're pretty good) lawyers? If anything, US Fidelis is trying to maintain its BS ways, which equal screwing over any consumer it can.
@razremytuxbuddy: You didn't notice the halo in the logo? It's funny how so-called Christian businesses so often behave exactly opposite from what Jesus taught.
If a company's gonna get their faith in their bidness, just go the In-N-Out route and leave it at sticking "John 3:16" and other references on the bottom of your bags and cups. Or treating employees well.
wait, only 40 AGs?
which 10 haven't they robocalled yet? (or, which 10 are they paying off?)
USFidelis must not be too worried, their recording left a recording on my recorder today. I use to get a call almost daily but that stopped about a month ago. They're starting back!
@drjayphd: Or not illegally harrassing people by phone. Or not cheating people out of their money. In other words, I agree with you.
@HiPwr: And that would do what? No-one would believe any politician who claimed to 'no longer use' certain powers if those powers were still valid.
It leaves open the hole of "don't know, don't tell", and the hole of "just protecting national security".
I guess the reference to the wire taps is with regard to the Patriot Act that our current president voted for while a Senator and has not abolished as president.