The Justice Department has summarily dumped charges of voter intimidation against the New Black Panther Party and three of its members related to their acts of voter intimidation on Election Day 2008 in Philadelphia. The Bush Justice Department filed a civil complaint against the three men, one of whom was brandishing a nightstick, while they stood in front of a polling station spouting racist remarks and threatening people who were trying to go inside. Witnesses, including civil rights lawyer Bartle Bull, called it blatant voter intimidation. But Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder have allowed the case to disappear. All that came of it was a measure that bars the nightstick wielding Malik Zulu Shabazz, a virulent racist Nation of Islam lieutenant, from being within 100 feet of a polling place for three years — meaning he can be back, nightstick in hand, for Obama’s re-election bid in 2012.
Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, has called for an inquiry into the actions of Justice. He sent three letters to AG Holder inquiring as to why the Justice Department dropped the charges, but he has received no reply. Undeterred, Wolf turned his attention to Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), requesting that the Judiciary Committee look into the matter.
Conyers was more than eager to investigate the Justice Department during the Bush administration, holding dozens of hearings to get the bottom of the firings of several U.S. attorneys for example. With no political points to be scored this time around, though, Conyers doesn’t seem so interested. Similarly, Holder’s grandstanding about holding the Justice Department to account apparently applies only when a Republican is in charge.
While Conyers and Holder ignore the matter and hope it goes away, Wolf is looking to get Justice Inspector General Glenn Fine to look into the matter. We doubt anything will come of it.
