Pubdate: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) 591a0700087.html: Copyright: 2003 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Contact: http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/28 Author: Bill Rankin BRITISH LORD SUES EX-U.S. DRUG AGENT A member of Britain's House of Lords has filed a $1 million federal lawsuit in Atlanta against a former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration intelligence analyst. The lawsuit was filed by Michael Ashcroft, who was once treasurer of Britain's Tory Party. He sued Jonathan Randel, who once worked in Atlanta and pleaded guilty to illegally selling agency information to The Times of London. In a series of stories in July 1999, the British newspaper falsely implied Ashcroft was the target of DEA investigations into drug trafficking, the lawsuit said. Ashcroft sued The Times for libel. In December 1999, the newspaper published a front-page correction. In January, Randel was sentenced in federal court in Atlanta to one year in prison for illegally selling the restricted information. Because of Randel's actions, the lawsuit said, Ashcroft "has suffered monetary losses as a result of extensive legal fees incurred in defending his general and professional reputation, and he has been caused personal embarrassment and disruption of his life and work." - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman