Justice official accused of blocking suits into alleged violations

[sabra]

Source: McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — A former Justice Department political appointee blocked career lawyers from filing at least three lawsuits charging local and county governments with violating the voting rights of African-Americans and other minorities, seven former senior department employees charged Monday.

Hans von Spakovsky also derailed at least two investigations into possible voter discrimination, the former employees of the Voting Rights Section said in interviews and in a letter to the Senate Rules and Administration Committee. They urged the panel to reject von Spakovsky's nomination to the Federal Election Commission.

White House spokeswoman Emily Lawrimore said that von Spakovsky wouldn't comment on the latest criticism. She said he's "preparing a point-by-point rebuttal that will address these issues" and "looks forward to working with members of the Senate during the confirmation process."

Von Spakovsky blocked a major suit against a St. Louis suburb and two other suits against rural governments in South Carolina and Georgia and halted at least two investigations of election laws that appeared to suppress minority voting, one of them in Wyoming, said Joseph Rich, the former voting rights section chief.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/200/story/17102.html

[yardwork]

1. That's what this is all about. Rigging the vote so that this cabal can stay in power

and make billions of dollars.

[acmavm]

2. A government of criminal. That's what we have. How sad.

[ejbr]

3. combined with a population of imbeciles

who are now just waking up to their bullshit. Good for them for catching on, but I fear it's too late.

[DavidDvorkin]

8. And a Congress of wimps

Who are still turning the other cheek.

[ejbr]

9. Aye! n/t

[havocmom]

4. To the nay-sayers who insist there can be no huge plots against democracy...

I give as evidence that such plots are alive and well - the DOJ under this junta.

[Morgana LaFey]

5. BINGO! At last. --

A former Justice Department political appointee blocked career lawyers from filing at least three lawsuits charging local and county governments with violating the voting rights of African-Americans and other minorities, seven former senior department employees charged Monday.

Just what we've needed: actual "evidence" (or testimony) of specific evildoings. Hooray!

[KoKo]

6. Sadly Harry Reid says he needs to be confirmed because it will allow a

Democrat to stay. Some sort of legislative numbers count where we have to take this criminal to keep a Democrat on board. Talking Points Muckraker has been talking about it for days and the commenters over there are totally disgusted that this will be allowed to happen. Here's the link:

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003464.php

[depakid]

10. Reid selling us all out again? Couldn't be....

History will not be kind to Reid- as his record shows that he's been just about the most ineffectual minority/majority leader in modern times- and at the precise time when the country desperately needed an opposition leader.

[guruoo]

7. A must-kick thread...

IMHO, one of, if not the most important news items ever posted to DU.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e2/Boss_Tweed,_Nast.jpg

[indepat]

11. Is the Department of Justice acting in fact as a Rampant Department of 'puke Criminality?