Bush DOJ decided New Black Panthers no major case
UPDATE: Fox News guest Kirsten Powers made the mistake of thinking for herself. A must-see video:
Several of you have clamored for me to say something about the alleged voter intimidation case in Philadelphia, which involves a thuggish group who call themselves the “New Black Panthers.” (While I was no fan of the original Black Panthers, they don’t deserve to have their reputation further befouled by this group. The two groups are in no way related.)
I was loathe to comment since I know that no rational discussion will follow. How could it? It was clear from the beginning that this was not a case of voter intimidation against anyone who might vote for John McCain. As many observers noted on that day, no matter how badly those two New Black Panters were behaving (and the police were called and responded), it’s a HEAVILY DEMOCRATIC PRECINCT. As blogger Ben Smith noted way back then, “You don’t typically intimidate your own voters.”
But solid reporting from Media Matters and Adam Serwer of The American Prospect ought to put this nonsense to rest (it won’t, but it should). The charges against the New Black Panthers were downgraded by the Bush Department of Justice:
The decision not to file a criminal case occurred before Obama was even in office.
This means that the case was downgraded to a civil case 11 days before Obama was inaugurated, 26 days before Eric Holder became attorney general, and about nine months before Thomas Perez was confirmed as head of the Civil Rights Division.
From Media Matters:
# Adams has admitted that he does not have first-hand knowledge of the events, conversations, and decisions that he is citing to advance his accusations;
# The Bush administration’s Justice Department — not the Obama administration — made the decision not to pursue criminal charges against members of the New Black Panther Party for alleged voter intimidation at a polling center in Philadelphia in 2008;
# The Obama administration successfully obtained default judgment against Samir Shabazz, a member of the New Black Panther Party carrying a nightstick outside the Philadelphia polling center on Election Day 2008;
# The Bush administration DOJ chose not to pursue similar charges against members of the Minutemen, one of whom allegedly carried a weapon while harassing Hispanic voters in Arizona in 2006;
# No voters have come forward to claim that they were intimidated from voting on account of the New Black Panthers standing outside the polling center in 2008;
So, no matter how many times J. Christian Adams declares that the Obama administration refuses to protect the rights of white people — and no matter how many times Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh repeat it — it’s not true.
(See my first post of the day about facts before you respond.)
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335 comments Add your comment
TommyJack
July 13th, 2010
10:17 am
CT: Let’s say we had a Republican-heavy polling place. And the KKK picketed. Would the Justice Dept ignore it? Hmmmm?
Big D
July 13th, 2010
10:17 am
Granny, sure did and rightly so…but they are not in control.
hnf
July 13th, 2010
10:19 am
Granny Godzilla,
Surely you recognize that victims of intimidation crimes/civil violations are relatively unlikely to report to law enforcement for the same reason they are a victim in the first place: they are, in fact, intimidated. it’s often not worth the trouble for any one voter, who must then continue to live in the neighborhood and risk further harrassment for reporting.
be clear on one thing, at least: the allegation under review by the civil rights commission has nothing at all to do w/ the decision to not pursue criminal charges, but only whether a decision to not seek more apt, harsher civil penatlies (fines) was made on an improper basis. this decision was made in the spring of ‘09, not on the date the complaint for injunctive relief was filed.
ms. tucker has reframed the issue to produce an easier resolution, more favorable to an administration she supports, by selectively citing the testimony of one asst attorney general who avoided speaking to the primary issue at hand. she also incorrectly referred to him as a “bush appointee” when, in actuality, he’s not a political appointee at all; convenient mistake?
personally, i don’t think there’s anything to it; but to say that it has been dispositively resolved by the testimony and editorials she cites to is dishonest, to say the least.
Tommy Maddox
July 13th, 2010
10:20 am
If I stood in front of my old school, Venetian Hills Elementary School, on voting day, wearing paramilitary garb, toting a rebel flag and a whip, and spouting off all kinds of trash to the folks walking in, do you think the law would drop the charges against me [presuming I survive the event]?
Granny Godzilla
July 13th, 2010
10:23 am
Big D
You are correct, the GOP is not in control (except for that whole tyranny of the minority and unprecedented use of filibsuters silliness)
However, I think the GOP’s approval ratings being lower than Obama’s
may mean they won’t get the votes you think they’ll get.
Big D
July 13th, 2010
10:23 am
Granny, unlike you I have the ability to see life through objective lenses.
Wrong is always wrong and right is always right, I give no measure of credence to either party when they screw up and the Republicans of past are as stupid as Democrats.
What the poll reflects is a country waking up (finally) to the realization that we are headed for a bad train wreck and it is time to stop bitching and start doing.
I'm here from the government and I'm here to help
July 13th, 2010
10:24 am
smithers
July 13th, 2010
9:40 am
I say, Kill the crackers!
Do you really want a race war? If so, when was the last time whitey lost one?
Josh
July 13th, 2010
10:24 am
CYNTHIA YOU ARE WRONG. THE COMPLAINTS WERE NOT FILED UNTIL JANUARY. FOUR MONTHS LATER (OBAMA IS PRESIDENT AND HOLDER IS ATTORNEY GENERAL) DROPPED THE CHARGES AGAINST THE BLACK PANTHERS. YOU USE MEDIA MATTERS AND THE AMERICAN PROSPECT (BOTH VERY FAR LEFT LIBERAL BIASED MEDIA SITES FOR YOUR EVIDENCE AND THEY ARE LIARS!
HERE IS THE TRUTH:
www. liveleak.com/view?i=5b3_1254510953&c=1
THERE IS A SPACE INBETWEEN THE PERIOD AND THE FIRST L IN THE ADDRESS. WHEN YOU COPY AND PASTE, REMOVE THE SPACE.
TommyJack
July 13th, 2010
10:27 am
Josh: Caps lock key. Find it.
Granny Godzilla
July 13th, 2010
10:28 am
hnf
Surely I don’t recognize any such thing. There may be some Americans
who would be intimidated, but I think most Americans are brave and true.
I think it’s the fringe right that has reframed a non issue into their
scandal du jour, and I think Americans are finding that stuff tiresome.
But as you say….you don’t think there’s anything to it …
Eraserhead
July 13th, 2010
10:28 am
The Bush administration filed the case in 2009. Holder ordered the case dismissed in 2010.
Granny Godzilla
July 13th, 2010
10:31 am
Big D
I have a coupon from Lens Crafters it appears you might have use for.
k thx bye
The credibility factor
July 13th, 2010
10:31 am
You know you’ve lost all credibility when you start trying to pass off reporting from far left hate sites like Media Matters and the American Prospect as legitimate news sources.
And since when is it okay to intimidate the minority of republican voters in a heavily democratic precinct simply because the precinct is heavily democratic? That has got to be one of the dumbest editorial statements I’ve ever read.
Williebkind
July 13th, 2010
10:33 am
Granny Godzilla
July 13th, 2010
9:50 am
“Seems the big scarey guys only scared YOU.”
Then that is all it takes to prosecute them! Oh that is right I forgot you do not prosecute liberals being racist.
Dan Priem
July 13th, 2010
10:34 am
It is easier to get a conviction on a Civil case than a Criminal case. The standards are different. For example, Simpson got off on Criminal Charges, but got convicted on civil charges – just for an unrelated example. So, to say or infer that Bush dropped charges, as Olberman reported last night, is a complete distortion. You didn’t mention that the DOJ WON the Civil case, but dropped pursuing the case before sentencing. Maybe I missed that? More distortion and lies from the left.
hnf
July 13th, 2010
10:34 am
Granny Godzilla: “Surely I don’t recognize any such thing. There may be some Americans
who would be intimidated . . . .”
It took exactly two consecutive sentences for you to contradict yourself. Thanks, you made that easier than I could’ve imagined. The fact that “some Americans” could be intimidated, and thereby have their right to vote encroached upon, makes this (and all other cases like it, including the Minutemen, etc.) very significant.
Josh
July 13th, 2010
10:36 am
From the liveleak article I posted @ 10:24 AM
“In January, the Justice Department filed a civil complaint in Philadelphia against the New Black Panther Party after two of its members in black berets, black combat boots, black shirts and black jackets purportedly intimidated voters with racial insults, slurs and a nightstick. A third party member was accused of managing, directing and endorsing their behavior. The incident was captured on videotape.”
“Four months later, the Justice Department dropped the charges…”
“Before the charges were dropped, a federal judge in April had ordered default judgments against the Panthers after they refused to respond to the charges or appear in court. The Justice Department also was in the final stages of seeking sanctions when a delay in the proceedings was ordered by Loretta King, acting assistant attorney general.”
Big D
July 13th, 2010
10:46 am
Granny,
I’m not going to call you stupid, but within your comments it is clear you are intellectually irrelevant.
Williebkind
July 13th, 2010
10:49 am
Liberals can not lead and do not know how to follow. That is a train wreck!
Granny Godzilla
July 13th, 2010
10:50 am
hnf
upon reflection i was not as clear as i would have liked to be.
however, the fact remains that NO ONE alleged intimidation.
and here we are nearly two years later, and with all the hubbub
being manufactured over this, you’d think someone, any one would pop up….
The Credilbility Factor
Unless one has data to prove that said sites statements are false
all you have is a personal vendetta not credibility.
Williebkind
You can’t have it both ways. Tort reform or filing suit against all the people who scare you.
Williebkind
July 13th, 2010
10:54 am
The black panthers are a joke! They hide behind laws that protect them from whites because they are black. That gives them courage to do and say things from a cowardly platform. If whitey bitch slaps one then Holder would prosecute whitey with exteme prejudice.
Josh
July 13th, 2010
10:55 am
@Granny
I read the leftist biased liberal articles CT posted. Now I ask you to read the unbiased liveleak article I posted.
Here are the main facts listed in the article (and remember liveleaks is either supporting the left or right, they simply list the facts):
“In January, the Justice Department filed a civil complaint in Philadelphia against the New Black Panther Party after two of its members in black berets, black combat boots, black shirts and black jackets purportedly intimidated voters with racial insults, slurs and a nightstick. A third party member was accused of managing, directing and endorsing their behavior. The incident was captured on videotape.”
“Four months later, the Justice Department dropped the charges…”
“Before the charges were dropped, a federal judge in April had ordered default judgments against the Panthers after they refused to respond to the charges or appear in court. The Justice Department also was in the final stages of seeking sanctions when a delay in the proceedings was ordered by Loretta King, acting assistant attorney general.”
uga_b
July 13th, 2010
10:57 am
Cynthia, was Sotamayor not championed due to her race? No president shines away from race; this one is no different.
I have yet to see anyone prove how not pursuing a criminal case but pursuing the civil case somehow supports the dropping of charges already won. I have yet to see anything to refute that the case could have been dropped by the Civil Rights attorneys due to race. The fact someone who knows libel laws pretty well wouuld come out is pretty interesting. However, it is all hearsay and conjecture at this point.
Just be happy we have something to take our minds off Obama’s mishandling of the economy and oil cleanup. FoxNews is doing him a favor.
b6542
July 13th, 2010
11:00 am
The alleged journalist CT has it SO wrong. Time to change the kitty box with this one…..
Voter Un-Intimidated
July 13th, 2010
11:00 am
Malik Shabazz would have loved it when I took his night stick from him and used it for a dildo on him! This man is a registered idiot and should have been procecuted for hate crimes! But, I guess the long worn out race card only applies to white people! This man sings the praises of Osama Bin Laden, also!
Call IT
July 13th, 2010
11:11 am
Again, the FAR LEFT RADICAL AT HER BEST!
Barry will be out of office soon!
Enough Said!
JohnD
July 13th, 2010
11:19 am
Just remember, there is Cynthia’s truth, the conservative truth, and, somewhere in the middle, the real truth.
uhoh
July 13th, 2010
11:21 am
Your assumption that any of those on premise would “come forward” to file a complaint is silly. Most of the voters in that district likely don’t “come forward” much other than to pick up a govt check.
Longfellow
July 13th, 2010
11:21 am
It is quite apparent that a large number of your “conservatve” readers(though at times astonishing they pocess the ability to read) are Haters of the first order.
WAR
July 13th, 2010
11:31 am
the first black panther party were men and women who wanted to protect their neighborhoods from police and others who took advantage of blacks during the 60s and 70s. the new black panther party has some of the same principles, but are completely ineffective in their approach to accomplish any goals.
the naacp is defunct. the nation of islam is defunct. the black panther party is defunct. the sclc is defunct. the rainbow coalition is defunct. the “network” is defunct. sad time in the black community for organizations.
the nra will take them though.
WAR
July 13th, 2010
11:34 am
the honorable el-hajj malik el-shabazz is better known as malcolm x. this malik shabazz is not the same person and they do not come from the same culture, history, or religion. malcolm x was an activitist for the advancement of blacks and other oppressed peoples (after his trip from mecca).
this malik shabazz is… well, i don’t know.
D. King
July 13th, 2010
11:38 am
Tucker,
Did it ever occur to you that Media Matters also has an agenda, and are being less than truthful here ?
The Bush admin filed a civil complaint against the New Black Panther party people. There were several eyewitnesses who heard the NBP guys using racial slurs toward white people. One was carrying a nightstick. That is voter intimidation, plain and simple.
The Obama DOJ got a default judgement against the NPB’s because the defendants never showed up in court.
You should read what J. Christian Adams says before you pass judgement based upon Media Matters, who, btw, was not present at the Obama DOJ, as Adams was.
WAR
July 13th, 2010
11:42 am
finally, the first black panther party used california’s laws to its advantage. that is reason why the organization openly carried fierearms–even into the state capital–until governor reagan had the laws changed. the new black panther party is in no way, shape, form, or fashion anywhere what the original party was.
enough on the history lessons.
WAR
July 13th, 2010
11:45 am
d king
it wasn’t voter intimidation because no one was intimidated. people went in and voted for the candidate of their choice. notice the nbpp did this “intimidation” in a predominantly democratic area. they would have never performed this event in a predominantly republican area. never. they pick and choose the confrontation instead of addressing the problems that affect the communities they claim to serve.
WideAwake
July 13th, 2010
12:31 pm
The haters are out in full swing. They have tried every propaganda to discredit the black community, such as, welfare, abortion, christianity, ignorance, stealing jobs, unamerican, country back, van jones, black panthers, and the list goes on.
It is a shame–what these so called christians will do to hide their racism. The congress man, republican community, fox news have all use polarization to destroy a nation. They will go after puerto ricans, mexicans, blacks and soon asians and others who do not follow what they preach until they have their world back.
John
July 13th, 2010
12:33 pm
What a complete lie. The lawsuit was FILED in January by the Bush DOJ, then your boy Obama was President at the end of the month. It then was DROPPED in May by the Obama DOJ.
Get your facts right Ms Tucker!!!
Williebkind
July 13th, 2010
12:47 pm
WideAwake
July 13th, 2010
12:31 pm
“They have tried every propaganda to discredit the black community”
Nope! There is enough in the black community to do it (like CT) there is no need for whites to get involved except to say they see it.
Williebkind
July 13th, 2010
12:51 pm
The black panthers in the beginning and in the end are no better than the KKK. The KKK was around longer and had more opportunity to do bad things and did do bad things. Maybe that is what the black panthers are upset about! They have not had the opportunity to hang whitey yet.
ctucker
July 13th, 2010
1:00 pm
John, I have my facts right. You don’t.
WideAwake
July 13th, 2010
1:06 pm
Williebkind: I’m not sure where you going with this. Again, republican congressman, fox news, teaparty, and the christian rights have tried everything to discredit the black community.
Sorry you don’t agree but again unless it is your point of view you probably wouldn’t.
WideAwake
July 13th, 2010
1:07 pm
Just like you people show yourselves for what you truly are….
WideAwake
July 13th, 2010
1:08 pm
John: Just like your boy Bush dropped all his balls.
tsam
July 13th, 2010
1:08 pm
Joan, shutup. Did anyone face prosecution for comments? No. Stop making discussions and arguments a freedom of speech issue. If you had any brains at all, you might just be able to figure out that the ability to freely comment on these discussion is the result of free speech.
Avenger
July 13th, 2010
1:16 pm
Kayaker. Evil deeds of history have consequences. The KKK was the terrorist arm of the “American People” for hundreds of years. The Black blow hard doesn’t hold a candle to those monsters. Of course double talkers like to ignore facts and mix apples with oranges. Either you people are ignorant of history or KKK sympathizers – neither of these is good.
ctucker
July 13th, 2010
1:19 pm
Avenger, Pls stop clogging the site with the same comment over and over. I don’t want to have to put you in time out
WideAwake
July 13th, 2010
1:38 pm
Why were the black panthers there in the first place?
My understanding was that flyers were going around in philly telling anyone who had warrants they would be arrested. I am wondering who would do such a mean thing.
But wait during the 2008 elections, virginia flyer stated different dates for voting, hispanics in florida were told they would be arrested for being illegal, watermelons and food stamps for black people.
I guess the Black Panthers had a reason…..
Alistair
July 13th, 2010
2:03 pm
Listening to these Right Wingers on this board you like Nath are no different than some of the White South Africans who are complaining about their lost as being they privilege statics.
uga_b
July 13th, 2010
2:11 pm
John,
Like she has said numerous times “her facts”. Bush did drop the criminal lawsuit. They did file a civil lawsuit. Obama’s administration won it by default judgment; issued sanctions; removed some and settled on a lesser injunction.
None of this is particularly out of the ordinary. The interesting part is the whistle blower, who definitely has right political leanings. The real question is whether he is lying or if the policy is in place. The bad thing in my opinion is that I wouldn’t be surprised either way.
uga_b
July 13th, 2010
2:12 pm
Cynthia, you made foxnews during lunch by the way. Megyn Kelly then shouted down one of her guests, which I think indicates to me she has gotten defensive over all the criticism.
Alistair
July 13th, 2010
2:24 pm
WideAwake:
Good point, there was no mentioning to that story.