Patterico's Pontifications

9/13/2009

Justice Department Stonewalls Investigation Into New Black Panther Case

Filed under: Civil Liberties,Obama,Politics — DRJ @ 2:51 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Pajamas Media’s Jennifer Rubin reports that Eric Holder’s Department of Justice won’t cooperate with a Civil Rights Commission inquiry into why the DOJ dismissed the New Black Panther Party voter intimidation case:

“In June, the Commission sent a letter of inquiry to the Justice Department demanding an explanation for the dismissal of the case against all but one defendant. In August, the Commission sent a second letter directly to Attorney General Eric Holder reiterating its demand for information on the reasons for the dismissal and advising Holder of its intention to use the Commission’s statutory authority to subpoena witnesses and documents. It also renewed its demand for records of past DOJ investigations so it could make an independent determination as to whether the New Black Panther case’s dismissal was an abrupt change in Justice Department policy, and if so, what the impact of that policy change might be on future acts of voter intimidation. However, the “most transparent administration” in history (it tells us) did not even acknowledge receipt of the letter for weeks.

Last week, the Commission’s General Counsel contacted the Justice Department to inquire if a response would be forthcoming and to advise the Justice Department that on Friday the Commission would meet to decide an issue left open at its meeting last month, namely whether to designate its already expanding investigation into the New Black Panther case as an issue for a year-long study and special report. (By statute the Commission must complete at least one such study and report each year on a matter of federal civil rights enforcement.) Later that day the Justice Department sent a one paragraph letter to the Commission advising that an OPR investigation would be opened and “accordingly” no answer would be forthcoming until OPR concluded its investigation.

A source familiar with the Commission’s deliberations tells Pajamas Media that a number of the commissioners were aghast by the response.”

One Commissioner described this as the equivalent of “a corporation charged with employment discrimination which instituted an internal investigation — and then claimed that a civil lawsuit couldn’t proceed until the corporation investigated itself.”

Rubin reports the Commission on Friday voted unanimously to pursue the year-long study. This pits the Obama Administration’s DOJ against the Commission, a clash Republicans worry the Administration will try to circumvent. But at least now there’s hope we can learn more about what was behind the New Black Panther case.

— DRJ

31 Responses to “Justice Department Stonewalls Investigation Into New Black Panther Case”

  1. Nice and sleazy
    http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/11/06/maneuver_gave_bush_a_conservative_rights_panel/

    “WASHINGTON – The US Commission on Civil Rights, the nation’s 50-year-old watchdog for racism and discrimination, has become a critic of school desegregation efforts and affirmative action ever since the Bush administration used a controversial maneuver to put the agency under conservative control.

    Democrats say the move to create a conservative majority on the eight-member panel violated the spirit of a law requiring that no more than half the commission be of one party. Critics say Bush in effect installed a fifth and sixth Republican on the panel in December 2004, after two commissioners, both Republicans when appointed, reregistered as independents.

    “I don’t believe that [the law] was meant to be evaded by conveniently switching your voter registration,” said Commissioner Michael Yaki, one of the two remaining Democrats.

    The administration insists that Bush’s appointments were consistent with the law because the two commissioners who reregistered as independents no longer counted as Republicans. The day before Bush made the appointments, the Department of Justice approved the move in a memo to White House counsel Alberto Gonzales’s office.”

    2008 election Pittsburgh:
    “That problem, inside the Bethesda Presbyterian Church, was serious enough to trigger a court order.
    A constable working the polling place was allegedly not letting supporters of Obama inside to vote and ordering those there to leave. The court order for City Ward 13, District 8 told election officials there to “refrain from discouraging or prohibiting, in any way, any elector from entering the polling place.”

    There are more like that, if you want to play hardball. Arizona: White guys- not officers not poll watchers just white guys- walking around polling places with guns asking latinos for proof of citizenship. And more

    http://www.votersunite.org/electionproblems.asp?selectproblemtype=Voter%20intimidation&selectstate=ALL

    Google this:”IN 5-YEAR FEDERAL INVESTIGATION EFFORT, SCANT EVIDENCE OF VOTER FRAUD”

    JW Democrat (fcc189)

  2. Look, over there! More copy and paste spamming and diversion from JW Dhimmi, who wants to avoid the disgusting actions of his fellow travelers.

    JD (648c77)

  3. That is troublesome, JW Democrat, but why do you think it matters in this case since the Commission’s vote was unanimous?

    DRJ (b0cdd4)

  4. The government lets small things slide. That’s my point.
    If you and the sons of the confederacy want to play hardball the facts will stack up against you.

    JW Democrat (fcc189)

  5. So the New Black Panthers were just a small thing?

    RACISTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    JD (648c77)

  6. JW Democrat,

    Your Party is the historic defender of slavery and segregation.

    DRJ (b0cdd4)

  7. Go JW. Give Democrats a bad name. Side with the racists. Just like old times in the south. Did you know that the Klan started as the miltary wing of the Democrat Party?

    Kevin Murphy (3c3db0)

  8. Dude, check it out. There’s this thing called admission-by-omission that you dudes and dudettes like to use lots. It works this way: When we object lots and lots and use lots of evidence, then we quit objecting to the same stuff, you dudes and dudettes point at the omission and quickly call that admission-by-omission.

    So, you see, dude, that you first gotsta object ta what’s been said and ya gotsta give real facts in yer objection. And ya gotsta give lotsa facts and stuff. Then, when yer facts objectin ta what was actually said don’t not never affect nobody, then ya give up and omit.

    Ya don’t do that on yer first comment.

    Ya see, when ya omit on yer first comment, yer provin a real admission-by-omission.

    Just lettin ya know, dude.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  9. I think the little president man is probably most sensitive less about getting busted giving a pass to his Black Panther pals than about having his little hopey changey brand mentioned in the same paragraph as the very stale not-hopey not-changey dorky retro thug Black Panthers. It’s gotta be embarrassing.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  10. The troll has a long list of non sequiturs available whenever anyone questions The One. This administration is full of crooks but they are the correct shade so it’s OK. The race card will be constantly in evidence as the house of cards totters and sways. I think there might be long term consequences that no one has foreseen. The US has a guilty conscience about race but these folks might do a lot to ease the pain. It will be interesting to see what happens the next two years. Fortunately, I’m not trying to build a career. Unfortunately, I have kids that are.

    Mike K (addb13)

  11. Okay, that is too much:

    “…you sons of the confederacy…”

    By this, this troll doesn’t mean to disparage someone’s background in the South. He means to call people who disagree with him racist, and not in the ironic way that JD uses that term.

    Come to think of it:

    https://patterico.com/2009/09/11/the-hill-prepare-for-the-nuclear-option/#comment-553713

    This self described “mutt” has had white relatives in this country for three hundred years. So he must be descended from slaveholders. Again, I demand that he pay reparations now. From his own paycheck.

    More seriously, this silly troll needs to apologize for being a jackass, or go into moderation. I don’t mean to tell you your business, DRJ or Patterico, but that is too much for me.

    Eric Blair (0b61b2)

  12. Eric Foner, pre-eminent [black] historian of Reconstruction:

    Historian Eric Foner observed:
    In effect, the Klan was a military force serving the interests of the Democratic party, the planter class, and all those who desired restoration of white supremacy. Its purposes were political, but political in the broadest sense, for it sought to affect power relations, both public and private, throughout Southern society. It aimed to reverse the interlocking changes sweeping over the South during Reconstruction: to destroy the Republican party’s infrastructure, undermine the Reconstruction state, reestablish control of the black labor force, and restore racial subordination in every aspect of Southern life.

    and also on the Klan’s assassination campaign against Republican office holders.

    Kevin Murphy (3c3db0)

  13. RE: The link posted regarding supposed voter intimidation in Philly:

    POSTED: 4:55 pm EDT April 22, 2008
    PITTSBURGH — Polls closed at 8 p.m. in Pennsylvania, where 158 delegates are at stake in the Democratic presidential primary between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

    More proof that the Democrats use of voter intimidation and fraud should be investigated. ACORN is just the tip of the iceberg.

    Apogee (e2dc9b)

  14. I expect that 60 Minutes will be delving into this obstruction by DoJ any week now. After all, this is the Civil Rights Commission.

    Kevin Murphy (3c3db0)

  15. ““That problem, inside the Bethesda Presbyterian Church, was serious enough to trigger a court order.”

    JWD – Don’t you read your own links? This was for the Democratic primary between Clinton and Obama.

    Hilarious!

    daleyrocks (718861)

  16. “So he must be descended from slaveholders.”

    Yes I am, and from slaves as well.

    JW Democrat (e7f8ca)

  17. So why should we listen to a slaveholder? You are clearly descended from racists. Rapists, too, apparently, based on your own comments.

    I question your honesty on any subject based on your background.

    Isn’t that what you are doing to others?

    I’ll tell you what, troll: quit insulting people, and people will treat you with respect. But you are only posting here to fight.

    If not, you are ignorant beyond words, based on your posts.

    Eric Blair (0b61b2)

  18. I have problems with aphrael and leviticus, as I’m sure everyone knows. But at least both of them comment with the desire for honest debate. I want more of those leftist-type folk and less of the trolls like JW Dudecrat.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  19. I want more of those leftist-type folk and less of the trolls like JW Dudecrat.

    There does seem to be a shortage of leftists with good arguments.

    Perhaps this is the reason for the lies.

    Apogee (e2dc9b)

  20. This is starting to have a familiar ring to it:

    Deep Throat: It leads everywhere. Get out your notebook. There’s more.

    armadillo (a896ea)

  21. #17 Eric Blair:

    If not, you are ignorant beyond words, based on your posts.

    Ding! Ding! Ding!

    Already demonstrated with a post claiming the Revolutionary War was a proletarian adventure along the lines of the October Revolution.

    /Point of order: One of the European branches of my family tree trace to 1628 here in the New World (381 years), and not a slaveholder amongst them. Lots of Abolitionists though. Could have something to do with the familial patriarch escaping indentured servitude in the old country. Other European branches are all post Civil War.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  22. EW1(SG), I dream of a nation where our ancestry doesn’t matter at all. That whole “content of one’s character” business.

    But that was before the ethnocrats took office.

    Seriously, that troll fellow is just trying to stir things up. It’s clear that how he feels is much more important than any kind of historical fact.

    Eric Blair (0b61b2)

  23. Apogee #19: maybe so, but I have a theory. Remember how many Republicans (including this one) were not all happy with John McCain, but we voted for the “less bad” person?

    I think there are a lot of Democrats who know that our current President is a empty, inexperienced windbag suit full of rhetoric and not much of an idea how to actually do things. They know that they should have supported HRC. Mind you, I disagree with her politics, but she is superexperienced compared to this guy. Does anyone think that HRC would have selected Joe Biden for VP (the mind boggles, unless Biden is job security or something)? Or tried to appoint person after person to her Cabinet with ethics issues? Nope, she went through all of that during her husband’s administration.

    In fact, I would argue that HRC is FAR better suited to pushing a Progressivist agenda than BHO. So we might actually be lucky, odd as that sounds.

    So many Democrats are left grinding their teeth about this fellow and his posse. The other Democrats are just alphabetists who would support literally anything that this administration proposes.

    I could be wrong. But I know a lot of Democratic women, for example, who get very tight lipped about this topic.

    Eric Blair (0b61b2)

  24. I like that “Point of order” thingy. I’m gonna use that “point of order” thingy.

    Point of order: I didn’t vote for McCain. I voted for Palin. It just so happened that McCain was on the ticket, too. If McCain had chosen someone as worthless as him, I would have done the same thing in the same situation as 300 well-known Christians decided they would do in the same situation. (Dr Dobson ring a bell?) I would’ve voted 3rd-party.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  25. The other Democrats are just alphabetists

    Is that the 80 or 90th percentile?

    Hate to disagree, but most commenters here that are not leftists seem to be able to parse someone like McCain or Palin’s weaknesses and strengths, while presenting an argument that doesn’t have its basis in complete fantasy.

    I know the trolls might simply be idiots, but I’m sorry to say I hear similar things coming out of the mouths of Democrat acquaintances. It’s at a level of personality disorder.

    What is difficult for me to figure out is whether people group together because of their disorders, or if the disorders commence from the exposure to their group.

    Apogee (e2dc9b)

  26. I think it’s hilarious that JWS keeps including links that disprove the argument he thinks he’s making. It’s like he adopted the Greenwald style of blogging into his commenting.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  27. Daley, you’re not the first person to interject the known-sock-puppeteer Grenn Gleenwald, into the commentary regarding JW Dudecrat. You won’t be the last.

    I wonder…

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  28. John – The prose isn’t purple enough.

    I’ve mentioned JWD’s tendency to post links contrary to his position and made the Greenwald connection before. It seems neither is in the habit of reading their links.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  29. #22 Eric Blair:

    I dream of a nation where our ancestry doesn’t matter at all. That whole “content of one’s character” business.

    MLK’s dream was infectious. One of the reasons I find the left’s distortions and lies so distasteful.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  30. How its carried out under obama and the DEPT ON INJUSTICE

    Krazy Kagu (524740)

  31. […] in April, only to dismiss in May — is heating up. Earlier posts on this topic are here, here, here and here, and here is a summary of the initial legal action, including the unexpected dismissal of […]

    Patterico's Pontifications » DOJ-Black Panther Case Update (e4ab32)


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