Justice Department questions nix July elections (Bibb County, Georgia)

[Laelth]

A rare victory for Georgia Democrats!

You may recall that, a few weeks ago, I posted a letter I had written to the Justice Department asking for review of changes to local election laws pursuant to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. That thread can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022802077

The Justice Department responded to our complaints by denying pre-clearance for non-partisan, July elections (that favor Republicans) here in Bibb County, Georgia. Needless to say, I wasn't the only one complaining. Many Democrats wrote letters and made phone calls. Thanks to all DU members who responded to our plea for assistance!

An article on the subject appeared in today's Telegraph (our local paper), as follows:

The Department of Justice has effectively scuttled plans for July’s Macon-Bibb County government election.

County Attorney Virgil Adams said he’d gotten a letter Tuesday from the federal agency, which said it needs more information to consider giving its stamp of approval to elections for the new government. The agency is also seeking more information on proposed changes in school board elections.

... snip ...

The Justice Department had been expected to rule on the changes by June 3. The agency said legislators wrote bills to force the nonpartisan elections despite protests.

“Concerns have been raised that these changes will result in a retrogression in the ability of minority voters to participate in the electoral process and elect candidates of their choice and were undertaken by the local delegation despite concerns expressed by members of the affected elected bodies, including comments that the changes were proposed, at least in part, for racial reasons,” wrote T. Christian Herren Jr., chief of the voting section, in a letter dated Friday.

http://www.macon.com/2013/05/28/2495999/federal-government-delays-macon.html#storylink=cpy (paid subscription may be required)

Personally, I am quite pleased. It's good to have Democrats running the Justice Department. Thanks, again, to all who aided us in our latest fight for justice.



-Laelth

[Sheri]

1. nice work laelth, congrats

score one for the good guys!

[Laelth]

3. Thanks. We had a lot of help from many well-meaning people.

My hat's off to them.



-Laelth

[Sheri]

7. well, you did a good job. thanks. nt

[Laelth]

8. Thank you. I feel entitled to a little celebration today. n/t

-Laelth

[monmouth3]

2. Congratulations Laelth, you've made a difference...n/t

[Laelth]

4. Thank you, but, as I said to a poster above, we had a lot of help.

And I thank all those who aided us.



-Laelth

[Dustlawyer]

5. I don't know what you call him (actually I can think of a few choice things but I am trying not to

start cussing), but I know Democrats, and Eric Holder is no Democrat! Lazy Wall Streetist maybe? I'll work on it.

[Laelth]

6. That may be true.

And I have serious concerns about the way that Mr. Holder has run the Department of Justice. That said, his employee, T. Christian Herren, Jr., made the right call and wrote a letter that will insure that Bibb County's Democrats, and, specifically, the African-American voters of Bibb County, will not be disenfranchised by a draconian act of the Republican-controlled Georgia General Assembly.

Mr. Herren's letter can be found here:

http://media.macon.com/smedia/2013/05/28/17/23/EPvBj.So.71.pdf#storylink=relast

Cheers!

-Laelth

[Dustlawyer]

11. I did not say everyone under him was a corporate shill, in fact, our office worked w/Holder and

several of his attorneys in our attempt to have BP's probation from the 2005 explosion that killed 15 and injured thousands (media still reports BP's figure of only 100 plus), revoked! BP was still on probation at the time of the oil spill (killed 11 more and victimized 1,000,000 plus). We were the ones that found the permit application where they out right lied and said they put a flare stack in the unit that blew when they had not put a flare in. This would have prevented the explosion and was what they pled guilty to. We provided the Justice Dept with all of the relevant documents and showed where they had killed several more workers in the interim b/w the 2005 explosion and the 2010 explosion and spill.
Holder let BP off probation early, months after the spill instead of revoking their probation and putting people in jail. You never hear Obama and Holder talk about the spill and the litigation, where BP still has not settled with 70% of the victims!
Our 2 parties are both bought off, with only a few exceptions. They want us thinking of the parties as sports teams where we overlook the bad stuff (penalties, fouls etc.) of our own team, and blame everything on the other party. That way, the corporations and the 1% who control both will not be noticed. It is the Washington Generals vs. the Harlem Globetrotters and Holder and Obama are key players on team "Democrat!"

[Laelth]

12. I hear you.

I believe in good public policy, and I have railed against the "team" mentality that obscures truth and often leads to bad public policy.

But, I will say this. If you know that the DC power players in your own party will respond to an us vs. them team approach to politics, you can use that to your advantage. We, in Bibb County, Georgia, when making our appeals to the Justice Department, specifically referenced the fact that our Republican-controlled legislature was trying to crush our county Democratic Party. We turned the issue into a clear us vs. them discussion, and the Justice Department responded by protecting the local Democratic Party institution. I may not like the "team sport" aspect of party politics, but it can be a useful tool for getting what you want and what you need.

Just food for thought.

-Laelth

[ProSense]

9. Excellent.

Good news, and glad to see the issue getting attention.

The RW hate Holder in part because of his defense of voting rights
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022894538

[Laelth]

10. Thanks for the k&r. n/t

-Laelth