Eric Holder wants lower bar for civil rights cases

[bigtree]

Kit O'Connell ‏@KitOConnell 2m2 minutes ago
#EricHolder wants lower bar for #civilrights cases - POLITICO http://smar.ws/3liyW

Attorney General Eric Holder plans to push, during his final weeks in office, a new standard of proof for civil-rights offenses, saying in an exit interview with POLITICO that such a change would make the federal government “a better backstop” against discrimination in cases like Ferguson and Trayvon Martin.

Holder told POLITICO that between now and his departure, probably in early March when the Senate is expected to confirm Loretta Lynch as his successor, he will call for a lower standard of proof for civil-rights crimes. Such a change would make it easier for the federal government to bring charges in the case of a future Ferguson or Trayvon Martin.

“I think some serious consideration needs to be given to the standard of proof that has to be met before federal involvement is appropriate, and that’s something that I am going to be talking about before I leave office,” Holder, 64, said...

Asked if the bar for federal involvement in the civil rights offenses is too high for federal prosecutors to make cases in shootings like those of Martin and Brown, Holder suggested it was.

“I think that if we adjust those standards, we can make the federal government a better backstop — make us more a part of the process in an appropriate way to reassure the American people that decisions are made by people who are really disinterested,” he said. “I think that if we make those adjustments, we will have that capacity.”


read: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/eric-holder-civil-rights-interview-mike-allen-115575.html

[jwirr]

1. So do I.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. This should be an interesting thread

How can anyone on the left be opposed to this?

I'm sure we'll find out in due time bigtree.

[tularetom]

10. I don't object, I'm just wondering why he waited until now to do it

He's already given notice, his successor is in the process of being confirmed, he's a short timer with very little influence over future operations of his department.

He should have done this years ago when he had more clout.

[USArmyParatrooper]

3. Not sure how you could lower it

Unless it's referencing criminal charges, which I don't think should be lowered.

Civil cases only judged by the preponderance of evidence, which is considerably lower than having to prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt. It means one side only need be more convincing than the other.

[JustAnotherGen]

4. Civil Rights Law

From the article:

Possible changes include toughening hate-crimes laws, which were under consideration in the Martin case, and establishing a broader standard for what constitutes a “deprivation of rights under color of law,” the provision that could apply to the police shooting in Ferguson.

View Photo Gallery


Yeppers - toughen hate crime laws. The savages on the right are running amok and since they've literally been getting away with murders - it's time to push them down on their asses.


And another yeppers and - Deprivation of rights under color of law - let's expand that meaning. Next time a Darren Wilson happens let's have a damn good reason to throw his ass in jail and let him rot for the rest of his life.


Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/eric-holder-civil-rights-interview-mike-allen-115575.html#ixzz3Sxjqi5mo

[bigtree]

6. "Deprivation of rights under color of law"

...on point.

I think many people think civil rights is all about race; it's about all of our rights under the law.

[JustAnotherGen]

5. Cool stuff in the article I like

True that - it's been hostile racial prejudice even if he won't come right out and say it. They are bunch of nasty bigots who don't like black folks on the far right.

Throughout much his tenure, Holder has been a frequent target of criticism by Republicans in Congress, leading to some pointed confrontations. He was voted in contempt of Congress by House Republicans in 2012, and has sometimes felt disrespected during Capitol Hill appearances. He refused to dismiss the notion that some of the hostility was related to his race, but acknowledged that “it’s hard to say — you know, hard to look into people’s minds, you know, their hearts.”

Interesting -

But when he was asked what book he would recommend to a young person coming to Washington, like his 32-year-old aide Kevin Lewis, who started at the White House at age 26, Holder made a revealing choice: “The Autobiography of Malcolm X.”

[bigtree]

7. Interesting that the Politico reporter would bring up Al Sharpton's supposed influence in the WH

...a right-wing, FOX news meme.

[JustAnotherGen]

8. Well of COURSE they did

And I believe at the end of the day Sharpton has had zero influence on the White House.

If anything we've learned - Obama knows his own mind and proceeds from there.

[bigtree]

9. maybe more than zero

...I think Rev. Sharpton advocates points of view which may be valid and relevant to particular issues and debates. Last night, for instance, he was one of a dozen or so community leaders who attended a meeting at the White House.

What I would say is that this president is open to hearing all povs and uses those to aid or enhance his own views on issues.