Jim Webb's Criminal Justice Overhaul Commission Blocked Again In Senate

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Jim Webb's effort to reform criminal justice in the United States has once again been blocked in the Senate.

On Thursday afternoon, the proposed National Criminal Justice Commission Act, which the Democratic senator from Virginia put forward as an amendment to a wide-ranging appropriations bill, failed to garner the 60 votes necessary to overcome a Republican filibuster. The vote was 57-43.

Webb's bill would establish a bipartisan commission charged with taking a hard look at the drug war and prison overcrowding, among other criminal justice issues, at the national, state, local and tribal levels. Its findings and recommendations would then be released in the first comprehensive report since 1965 on the state of criminal justice in America.

Webb first introduced the National Criminal Justice Commission Act in 2009, only to have it blocked in late 2010 for procedural reasons.

"Today Senate Republicans blocked an important opportunity to make our criminal justice system more fair and effective," Webb said in a statement released Thursday by his press office. "Their inflammatory arguments defy reasonable explanation and were contradicted by the plain language of our legislation. To suggest, for example, that the non-binding recommendations of a bipartisan commission threaten the Constitution is absurd."

The bill is supported by organizations across the political spectrum, from the NAACP and the ACLU to the National Sheriffs' Association and the Fraternal Order of Police.

When Webb first introduced the legislation, many wondered whether the commission's inquiry would lead to legalization of marijuana. In interviews, the senator found the prospect "a very legitimate question" for the commission to consider.

In his statement Thursday, Webb vowed that he would not give up on the National Criminal Justice Commission Act. "After years of building the case for reform, we have earned the trust and support of advocates across the philosophical and political spectrum. We will not back down. We will keep fighting for a comprehensive review of the justice system, with the help of the thousands of sheriffs, police, mayors and justice advocates who have joined us in pressing for reform."

Comments

[casualtysr]

04:25 AM on 10/28/2011

Our elected officials are mocking the American people. They are criminals and must be dealt with soon.

[MyResponsibility]

12:11 PM on 10/24/2011

I have a couple of question for liberals out there...  When considering the headline of this article, Jim Webb's Criminal Justice Overhaul Commission Blocked Again In Senate, and focusing on the operative word in the headline ("again"), does this imply that it was blocked prior to this failure?  If so, what party do you presume blocked it?  What party and what body of the legislature actually passed its version of the National Criminal Justice Commission Act? Which party has shown a willingness to not pass this bill on its own?

[joeyfoto]

11:30 AM on 10/24/2011

While I find the term "national disgrace" to be over-used,
THIS is a National Disgrace.

The Republican Party has betrayed the safety and security of the nation, by refusing to address an issue of national security — the institutionalized injustice in our "justice system — that is a far greater threat to America's future than any posed by Al Queda.

[leftyirishwoman]

06:57 PM on 10/23/2011

This is horrible.

[apathyman]

06:19 PM on 10/23/2011

There's to much money to be made in the prison industry for them to consider fixing it

[EuGeneTherapy]

07:23 PM on 10/23/2011

Interestingly, OWS is supposed to get us to think about every aspect of American society that has gone awry.

This is certainly one of them. Private prisons that must be filled by public judges. What a horror for society!!!

[goleafsgo]

07:24 PM on 10/23/2011

The Tea Party (I no longer refer to them as Teapublicans as the official opposition) does not want their injustices to be exposed, and as you say, the private prison industry questioned.   Shame!

[dgtrust]

06:06 PM on 10/23/2011

Republican dream to solve economic, political, immigration, labor, health care, civil rights crisis – universal for profit prison system

[laurieanichols]

05:44 PM on 10/23/2011

Shouldn't something be done about the distortion of the filibuster rules. I completely understand the need to make sure that the minority has a voice in the Senate but the republicans have taken the filibuster and have twisted its purpose into something akin to power lust. The filibuster has become weaponized and that is not melodramatic in the least. The rules need to be changed because it is doing real harm to the political process and we the people are painfully paying the economic price for it.

[goleafsgo]

07:26 PM on 10/23/2011

I think the dems are planning on something to change the filibuster rules.

[JacklynD]

04:22 PM on 10/23/2011

California spends more on housing prisoners than on our education system. The ridiculous three-strikes law, drug crimes and illegal immigrants have burdened our state to the point of catastrophe. The Federal government requires we hold immigrants but doesn't reimburse us for their confinement, the three-strikes law gives lifetime sentences for non-violent crimes and the drug laws without rehabilitation accomplishes nothing but create career criminals.

[stagebandman]

03:47 PM on 10/23/2011

Foxicans, "F*@k what's good for the country, we can't allow this administration any victories!!!!"

[linksteroh]

06:12 PM on 10/23/2011

The Repulbican's want to privatize prisons to make their cronies more money.

[gfe]

06:34 PM on 10/23/2011

their "victory" was the new and upcoming healthcare tax

i hope it ends there.....

[taylor316]

03:19 PM on 10/23/2011

black people are primarily democrats. black people make up the majority of the prison population. prisons are run by for-profit corporations who donate heavily to republicans. why on earth would republicans vote against this gravy train?

[Aaron Decker]

02:56 PM on 10/23/2011

The Republicans are obstructing the Dems? OMFG! Stop the presses!

[JacklynD]

04:24 PM on 10/23/2011

No they are protecting the prisons-for-profit lobby group which provides substantial donations for the GOP.

[bobncar]

02:44 PM on 10/23/2011

It's okay Jim.....when we win back the house and gain the 60 member majority of the senate next year, the republicans can concentrate on what they can't get right

[mendelcrosses]

03:04 PM on 10/23/2011

When you win back the house which is a big IF -giving that Obama had it for 2 years and deny to use it- at that point Obama will no longer be using the 60 vote argument but will then revert to his other prefered argument "Bipartisanship". Your problem is not the house nor the senate,its Obama. Bush had some of the most absurd policies ever but they all passed and none pickedup 60 votes. Why is it only Obama who must get 60 votes? I know the bar is always raised a little higher when its a black person but these dude call Obama is just a fake.as simple as that. He has no intentions of getting anything that benefits the people done. Mind you he has never had trouble engaging in military conflicts nor funnelling money to isreal - those dont even get debated at all.

[leftyirishwoman]

06:55 PM on 10/23/2011

It is amazing that you make that argument on this action that was filibustered. We stand amazed.

[bobncar]

11:21 AM on 10/24/2011

do you even realize you answered your own comment? Think about it.

[Rahm11219]

01:47 PM on 10/23/2011

Funny the GOP is blocking something from Webb. He's basically one of them.

[rjciraulo]

06:10 PM on 10/23/2011

"was" one of them.

[GeorgeSM]

01:21 PM on 10/23/2011

This time, it's Republican ties to the privatized prison lobby. Keep the prisons full. With Republicans remember the prime directive...show me the money!

[bobncar]

02:44 PM on 10/23/2011

hear, here!!!

[asiclilpup]

01:16 PM on 10/23/2011

Reform the crimminal justice system?? Great idea blocked by the righties who see lots of election contributions from the private prison industries. Money is all the right cares about and Justice doesn't compute with them.