Panel Seeks Testimony On Ashcroft Deal

United States Attorney Christopher J. Christie has been asked to testify before members of Congress about a multimillion-dollar contract his office awarded to former Attorney General John Ashcroft. The subject of the inquiry is a contract that Mr. Ashcroft’s Washington law firm received from Mr. Christie’s office to serve as a federal monitor. The deal is worth $27 million to $52 million over 18 months.

Under the contract, Mr. Ashcroft’s firm will monitor an Indiana-based manufacturer, Zimmer Holdings, as part of a settlement in a fraud investigation by Mr. Christie’s office. Mr. Ashcroft was also asked to testify but has not responded, according to Ms. Sanchez’s office. A phone message left at Mr. Ashcroft’s law firm on Monday was not immediately returned.