 In addition, then-Attorney General John Ashcroft, from whose prior campaigns Rove had been paid $746,000 in consulting fees, had been briefed on the contents of at least one of Rove's interviews with the FBI, raising concerns of a conflict of interest.A 2 October 2003 "New York Times" article similarly connected Rove to the matter and highlighted his prior employment in three previous political campaigns for Ashcroft.Ashcroft subsequently recused himself from the investigation.