According to National Journal Technology Daily:
Former Attorney General John Ashcroft is making big money as a lobbyist for companies that offer the kind of homeland security technology he promoted while in office. The Chicago Tribune reports that three clients of Ashcroft's new firm, The Ashcroft Group, want his help selling data or software with security applications. His firm's clients include ChoicePoint, LTU Technologies and Oracle. Ashcroft is the first attorney general in recent memory to enter the lobbying business after leaving office. His decision has earned mixed reviews. "One would have thought that a former attorney general wouldn't be doing that," said John Schmidt, a former associate attorney general in the Clinton administration, who is now a lawyer at Mayer Brown. "To take the kind of prestige and stature of the attorney general ... it seems a little demeaning of the office, honestly." Ashcroft could not be reached for comment in the article.
At the time, I didn't think it was appropriate that he went on tour to promote the Patriot Act. Now, knowing it was the prequel to his lobbying efforts, it's even more disturbing.