BRAD BLOG: Bush DoJ Overrules Voting Rights Act Again! Conyers Release!

[BradBlog]

Bush DoJ Appointees Overruled their Own Voting Rights Act Attorneys to Approve Texas Redistricting Plan!
Unanimous Recommendation by 8 Staffers, Including Head of Voting Rights Division Ignored!
As With Georgia Photo ID Case, Bush Makes Mockery of Voting Rights Act, Ranking Democrat Calls for House Judiciary Committee Investigation

Washington Post, in a stunning front page splash today, is reporting that political appointees in George W. Bush's Dept. of Justice overruled their own attorneys in the Voting Rights Act unit who had recommended against Texas' state redistricting plan for Congressional districts. That new redistricting plan was key to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's (R-TX) controversial strategy in the state which eventually resulted in 7 additional Republicans being elected to the U.S. House in 2004.

Eight staffers at the DoJ, including the heads of the Voting Rights Division advocated against the redistricting in a 73-page memo, but Bush political appointees agreed to allow the changes to go through anyway! The Voting Rights Act requires DoJ pre-approval of changes to electoral law in several states where minority voting rights have historically been an issue.

The disturbing revelation is similar to one reported two weeks ago in which the Bush Attorney General overruled 4 of 5 staffers who had recommended against pre-approval of Georgia's new Photo ID requirement at the polls. That law has since been struck down by Federal Courts which described it as a "Jim Crow-era Poll Tax."

The Bush administration has made a mockery of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which celebrated it's 40th anniversary over the summer. Rep. John Conyers has now asked for a full investigation by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee...

Full Story, Link to Full Memo and the Complete Text of Conyers' Press Release:
http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00002107.htm

---
Brad Friedman
THE BRAD BLOG - The uprising continues...
http://www.BradBlog.com
VELVET REVOLUTION - The revolution has begun...
http://www.VelvetRevolution.us

*** The BRAD SHOW On the Air via RAW RADIO!
*** http://www.BradShow.com
*** Broadcast coast-to-coast and around the globe!

[dchill]

1. Bush administration has made a mockery of...

the Presidency with every appointment he has made. These appointments to positions of responsibility are made irresponsibly so that the appointees can act irresponsibly to subvert our democratic system. It's the Republican way.

[FreedomAngel82]

5. Puts a whole new thing to

BEEF doesn't it? Ugh.

[johnnydrama]

2. you can add

The poltical appointees at the FDA going against the recommendation of the experts about letting Plan B change to an over the counter drug.

Just another in the long line of politics trumping common sense for this bunch.

[ananda]

3. What a (not) surprise.

nt

[katinmn]

4. It looks like they knew they were breaking the law, but did it anyway

And this two-year "gag rule" that prevented release of the lawbreaking -- un-friking-believable!

These assholes responsible need to go to jail and the redrawn districts should revert back to the way they were.

[drdtroit]

6. IMPEACH, DEN HAGUE!

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. From your keyboard to God's monitor, Amen!

[Independent_Liberal]

12. Yeah, off to the Hague with their asses!

:)

[Nothing Without Hope]

7. Thank you, Brad. K & R and bookmarked. n/t

[tgnyc]

8. It's an ongoing pattern. Also happened in a Mississippi case.

More at http://intelligencesquad.blogspot.com/2005/12/no-justice-department.html

[upi402]

10. r/k Conyers is a true patriot.

Bless that man!

[texpatriot2004]

11. Amen to that. nm

[roseBudd]

13. The GOP does not want negroes voting, here is the proof...

[Al-CIAda]

14. .

[me b zola]

15. bush*inc, spreading freedom & democracy

...well, their fascist brand of it anyway.

[journalist3072]

16. I'm covering this on my blog

http://progressiveminds.bloghi.com/2005/12/02/justice-department-lawyers-overruled-on-texas-re-districting.html

[rumpel]

17. What would this country do without Conyers...

[Al-CIAda]

18. .

[Al-CIAda]

19. .