WTF? Obama Justice Department Political Appointees Overrule Career Lawyers in Black Panther Voter Intimidation Case
Posted by: Flap in Black Panthers, Department of JusticeCome on. WTF is this all about?
Justice Department political appointees overruled career lawyers and ended a civil complaint accusing three members of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense of wielding a nightstick and intimidating voters at a Philadelphia polling place last Election Day, according to documents and interviews.
The incident – which gained national attention when it was captured on videotape and distributed on YouTube – had prompted the government to sue the men, saying they violated the 1965 Voting Rights Act by scaring would-be voters with the weapon, racial slurs and military-style uniforms.
Career lawyers pursued the case for months, including obtaining an affidavit from a prominent 1960s civil rights activist who witnessed the confrontation and described it as “the most blatant form of voter intimidation” that he had seen, even during the voting rights crisis in Mississippi a half-century ago.
Court records reviewed by The Times show that career Justice lawyers were seeking a default judgment and penalties against the three men as recently as May 5, before abruptly ending their pursuit 10 days later.
People directly familiar with the case, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity because of fear of retribution, said career lawyers in two separate Justice offices had recommended proceeding to default judgment before political superiors overruled them.
Elections have consequences but this is BULL and should be further investigated.
Somebody in the Justice Department needs to be held accountable for this egregious discarriage of justice. How about a special prosecutor?
Technorati Tags: Black Panthers, Department of Justice
Entries (RSS)
May 29th, 2009 at 10:18 am
WTF is exactly right!!!!!!! The Justice Department dismissed two of the men without penalty, and the third is prohibited from bringing a weapon to the poling place in the future??? What the hell is wrong with the Justice Department??? These men are allowed to intimidate in the future, only this time, don’t bring a weapon????? What the hell is wrong with this government? This is the best example of reverse racism. Racism will never end for exactly this reason.
June 2nd, 2009 at 5:45 am
[...] and Bill Clinton fired them ALL when he became President)? Now, Black Panthers wielding clubs who intimidated voters in the last election have their prosecutions stopped for political reasons.PLUS CA [...]