(AP) The American Civil Liberties Union launched a $3.5 million advertising and lobbying campaign Wednesday that accuses the Bush administration of eroding freedoms in the name of fighting terrorism.

The campaign includes $1 million for the ACLU's first national television advertisements, which will air in major cities this week and then for three months beginning in January.

The first ad depicts a pair of hands cutting and rewriting the Constitution and Bill of Rights while a voice says: "Look what (Attorney General) John Ashcroft is doing to our Constitution. He's seized powers for the Bush administration no president should ever have."

In a statement, Ashcroft said: "I'm glad I live in a country where the ACLU can criticize me and vigorously debate the issues. I consider it my job as attorney general to make sure that this and all our freedoms endure."

Anthony Romero, the ACLU's executive director, said Ashcroft is restricting liberties without significantly increasing security.

"His message is that Americans must choose whether they want to be safe or free," Romero said.

The first ACLU ads are airing not long before the November elections, but Romero said the group's efforts are not targeting any campaigns.

"This is much broader," he said.

The ACLU's campaign comes nearly a year after President Bush signed the USA Patriot Act, which gave the government broad new powers to monitor people in the United States if they are suspected to have ties with terrorists.

The ACLU said the goals for its campaign include repealing provisions of the Patriot Act, limiting government surveillance, and lobbying for local and state laws to protect civil rights.

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