Picked up by TalkLeft (snippet):

Ashcroft Directs Prosecutors To File Most Serious Charges Update: The Wall Street Journal is carrying this article about Ashcroft's new memo to federal prosecutors: WASHINGTON -- Attorney General John Ashcroft, in a move that would further centralize prosecutorial power to Justice Department headquarters, is considering an order to U.S. attorneys to cut back significantly on plea bargaining with criminal defendants. The order, which could be issued as early as today, would require federal prosecutors to "charge and pursue the facts" of the cases they file, and notes that charges shouldn't be filed simply to exert leverage to induce a plea...

As TalkLeft explains:

Attorney General John Ashcroft is delivering a memo to every federal proseuctor tomorrow demanding that they file the most serious charges possible in every case, beginning immediately. "Most serious charges" are those bringing the heaviest sentence under the sentencing guidelines.

How do we stop this madness? Try not voting for Bush next year.