Ashcroft stopped flying commercial airliners in July 2001

This is probably well known at Daily Kos, but I thought that it wouldn't hurt to post a reminder about it, given that the administration has been denying that it had much of an indication that a terrorist attack was imminent in the summer of 2001.

Ashcroft Flying High (CBS News, July 26, 2001):

In response to inquiries from CBS News over why Ashcroft was traveling exclusively by leased jet aircraft instead of commercial airlines, the Justice Department cited what it called a "threat assessment" by the FBI, and said Ashcroft has been advised to travel only by private jet for the remainder of his term.

Well, at least the Bush administration knows how to protect their own.