Pubdate: Thu, 08 Feb 2001 Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA) Copyright: 2001 Union-Tribune Publishing Co. Contact: PO Box 120191, San Diego, CA, 92112-0191 Fax: (619) 293-1440 Website: http://www.uniontrib.com/ Forum: http://www.uniontrib.com/cgi-bin/WebX ASHCROFT OUTLINES TOP THREE PRIORITIES WASHINGTON (AP) -- Attorney General John Ashcroft intends to increase gun prosecutions, renew the war on drugs and reach out to minorities as his three top priorities, a spokeswoman said yesterday. After his civil rights record was bitterly attacked during a stormy Senate confirmation battle, Ashcroft is inviting the Justice Department's civil rights division officials to a brown-bag lunch in his private department dining room next week, chief spokeswoman Mindy Tucker said. Civil rights will be first, but he plans to hold these lunches with each division. Ashcroft has three main civil rights issues in mind: racial profiling, voting rights and hate crimes. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D