Bill Bartmann, John Ashcroft, and Forgiveness

In 1997, billionaire Bill Bartmann was named America's 25th richest man.

He was riding the crest of a wave.

Then in 1998 that wave came crashing down.

Bartmann's former business partner committed fraud that sent their company, Commercial Financial Services (CFS), into a tailspin and bankruptcy. Even although the business partner told the prosecutors that he had acted independently and without Bartmann's knowledge, the US Attorney General, John Ashcroft indicted Bill Bartmann on 57 counts of fraud.

His finances in ruins and his reputation now in tatters, Bartmann began the long defense process. The trial took place 5 years later and lasted 2 months.

Bill Bartmann was indicted on 57 federal felony counts in 2002; Attorney General, John Ashcroft alleged that he was guilty of making fake transactions to shell companies in order to falsify his balance sheet.

Bill Bartmann said, “Ashcroft’s action was after two grand juries voted not to indict. I didn’t know if it was a slow new week at the Justice Department or whether he hoped to find the next Enron-type scandal. All I knew was that I faced a cumulative 600 years in prison if convicted.

To make matters worse, the law firm that Bartmann hired to represent him quit on the day the trial was due to start. His request for a period of 2 weeks to appoint new attorneys was denied. So Bartmann represented himself.

The government called 53 witnesses and produced over 1,000 exhibits. Bartmann didn't call a single witness. Nor did he produce any exhibits. However, he did cross-examine one witness - someone from the treasury department.

You see, the whole case turned on a single document and the date on that document. Was the date accurate or had the document been doctored?

Bill maintained that the document had been signed a couple of years earlier before his partner committed the crime. If this was the case this would prove that he had nothing to do with the crimes committed by his partner. The government held the view that the document had been altered.

After 3 days of cross-examining the witness finally revealed that in a report submitted to the Justice Department he had stated the odds were 60 million to one that the document had been tampered with. Bartmann had not seen this report prior to the trial.

When the jury heard this evidence it was a matter of case closed. The jury unanimously acquitted Bill Bartmann of all 57 counts.

Bill Bartmann was a free man but the cost of this trial had been enormous. It had caused the demise of CFS along with the jobs of 3,900 people. And Bartmann had to file for bankruptcy.

So he had much to be bitter, even angry, about. However, he decided to forgive all those who had wronged him. One of the toughest acts of forgiveness was forgiving John Ashcroft - the man who indicted him despite having evidence that proved his innocence.

Bartmann was away giving a speech when he discovered that John Ashcroft was due to be in town the next day as part of his book signing tour. So he decided to stay an extra day so he could meet him in person.

At the book signing, like the others present, Bartmann had to wear a name tag so he wrote on his "Hello my name is Bill".

When it was his turn at the book signing desk John Ashcroft greeted him.

"Bill! Where're you from, Bill."

"Well, Mr Ashcroft, I'm from Tulsa."

"Oh we had a big case there a couple of years ago."

"Yes, I know. It was mine."

Well, as you can imagine, the smile that was on John Ashcroft's face disappeared and he suddenly looked grey. The politician was at a loss for words. Bartmann continued,

"Mr Ashcroft, you knew now as you knew then that I was innocent before you indicted me. And your actions cost 39 hundred people their job, cost me 3.5 billion dollars and cost my family an undue amount of anguish. Mr Ashcroft I came here for one reason."

Tension hung heavy in the air.

He extended his hand and John Ashcroft instinctively took it. Bill Bartmann shook his hand, looked directly into his eyes and said.

"Mr Ashcroft, I forgive you."

With that he turned around and walked away oblivious of Ashcroft's reaction. It didn't matter.

Although, it may not have seemed like it at the time, Bill Bartmann's willingness to forgive those who wronged him actually empowered him to rebuild his life. Instead of being down and out he has gone from strength to strength and is helping even more people.

And then I (Regan) emailed him and asked him these questions:

 First, is the story I found true? 

            Yes, the story is true.

 Second, what did you feel as a result of that experience?

            I felt relieved that I had put that entire chapter behind me with three words - I forgive you.

Third, was it hard to do?

            No, it was not hard.  I knew what would happen when I accomplished it so I was looking forward to it.

And finally, How do you think this experience has changed you?

            Read opening Paragraph of Oswald Chamber's devotional for Nov 5th from "My utmost for his Highest "

November 5^th, My Utmost For His Highest:
“If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a multitude of experiences that are not meant for you at all, they are meant to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what transpires in other souls so that you will never be surprised at what you come across. Oh, I can't deal with that person. Why not? God gave you ample opportunity to soak before Him on that line, and you barged off because it seemed stupid to spend time in that way.”