Changes in the Civil Rights Division

Just three days after our series Bush League Justice exposed the dismal record of this Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, in particular the voting rights section, now we learn that the head of that division, John Tanner, is "resigning" effective immediately. For weeks, civil rights advocates had been calling for his ouster. We're glad to see that somebody is finally listening, but this is just the first step.

As we discussed, from 2001 to 2006, not one voting discrimination case was brought on behalf of African-American voters. New hires to the division were evaluated on their loyalty to far-right conservative principles and encouraged to fight cases of religious, rather than racial, discrimination. Tanner and his team twisted the voting section's goals by focusing on alleged voter fraud cases that target minorities rather than protecting them. He even once made the absurd comment that a Georgia law, pushed forward by Republicans, which required voters to have photo IDs would affect whites more because "minorities don't become elderly the way white people do: They die first."

Tanner is now celebrating his accomplishments in an e-mail to his staff. We are not going to allow this effort to distort his record to go unchallenged as they send him to another, far less high-profile Justice Department job. There were also questions swirling about Tanner's travel on the taxpayer dime. So why is he landing another job in the department?

On Monday we will extend our Bush League Justice series to address a number of important issues relating to Tanner and the department. We want to ensure that the new attorney general selects a replacement ready to fight for the very people that the voting section, and the Civil Rights Division in general, was designed to protect. This is an opportunity for Attorney General Michael Mukasey to demonstrate that he is serious about civil rights and prepared to start eliminating the stink of partisanship that has permeated this once-apolitical department.

As we completed our Bush League Justice series this week, we promised that we would be watching. We are, and we will, and so Bush League Justice is back on Monday. See you then.

This post first appeared on Dan Abrams' blog on MSNBC.com.

Comments

[kittycago]

Chris Matthews ,Keith Olbermann,and yes you Dan have all made me smarter and better informed.K­eith's commnetaries are inspiring,your legal mind is like a steel trap for detail and Chris Matthews has made me turn the channel and start watchng an hour of Jeopardy again while he hates and screams at his rant du jour.Hey 2 outta 3 ain't bad.....

[BobEvansZombie]

Good job, Dan.

That's the reason you are one of the only three news shows I watch.

[londonexpat]

This is EXACTLY why a free (and functional) press is absolutely necessary to maintain any democratic integrity in our system. Glad to see some journalists (and networks) getting off their duffs and holding some feet to the fire. Dan has recognized the assault on very basic principles of our constitution and is finally appropriately appalled! Let's all get on board and maybe the rest of the Corporate Media will be embarrassed into doing more than echoing the WH talking points and telling us about Brittany and whomever is the flavor of the day. These topics are the "shiny objects" that keep lazy minds distracted from what we NEED to know.

[Vajara]

Dan, your overview of the Civil Rights Division over the past 7 years was truly outstanding and ought to be given front page news position by every responsible organization. I don't think anyone realized how awful the no-justice department really is/was/continues to be under the current slug.

It is no wonder that people of color and minorities have no hope and continue to be held down, targeted and busted for crimes that others are only given a slap on the wrist and dismissed or pardoned.

Your program and your commitment to justice for all is such an important contribution to our nation and to our future. Thank you for standing up for freedom and justice for all while others hang out in corporate board rooms.

You and Obermann are our real heroes--keep up your great work!!!!

[hontonoshijin]

Such credits don't matter much, but after George Bush's specious court-declared victory in 2000, I coined the term "Bush League." I liked it for its contemptuous reference to those who aren't talented enough to play in the majors. However, I didn't have a forum, and apparently most Americans didn't remember enough baseball lingo, and although I used the phrase in all my correspondence it never caught on anywhere.

At any rate, I am glad to see someone finally using it. Bush leaguers indeed.

[NotMyPrez]

Seems to me what the guilty cockroaches do is scuttle away when the light of truth gets shined in their direction.

[lambdin1]

What else can be said?
THANKS DAN!!!! I do love the title "Bush League"! Fits so nicely!!!

[Purple Girl]

Dan you are definitely following in the foot steps of my Hero Keith. I'm proud of ya!!
No doubt the minority vote was sabotaged. but that doesn't exclude other areas that were also effected. the elderly had a fast one pulled on them- florida - Bushland.
How many more crimes does this adminstration get for a Blowjob???
The really crime is that no Impeachment proceedings are allowed to begin. No real investigations- since no one has yet really been imprisoned.
If the Dems are stupid enough to 'wait out the clock' they may find themselves in a tie game with the Repugs in '08- OUT AS POLITICAL FORCES.My stratedgy is 'Anthing But..', not even ol' sentimental favorites- Carl L., Deb S.- will be considered­.SCREW THEM ALL !!!

[maxcat06]

Dan,

PLEASE keep the pressure up on the Don Siegleman case. If it hasn't been for the dogged work of several attorneys and journalists, Governor Siegleman might have been lost in the federal prison system, as the had been moving him from one location to another, making it harder for his own attornies to see him.
That whole procdural output seemed strange, and typical safequards didn't seem to be in place.
I know that many believe that Mr Siegleman was wrongly incarcerated, and selectively processed as well. Please continue your great reporting on Mr Sieglemam

[Lilly06]

Yet another relevation about this excuse for a president.

[army193]

Accountablity to Bush is move the checkers around the board.

[Ohiomj]

This is second-person information. But I can vouch for the authenticity of the source. A Missouri university professor did a study of the Department of Justice and saw that ratio of Democracts being pursued as opposed to Republicans is about 5 to 1, which statistically speaking means that there is only a 1 in 10,000 chance that this finding is wrong. The DOJ is obviously prejudiced systemically to aid Republicans and hurt Democrats. I recall that Regency University (Pat Robertson's personal university) has had a disproportionate number of ist law school grads hired by the DOJ. The school ranks rather low compared to other universities' law schools, but I think it is supposed to be rising in the rankings.

[robbie]

Shifting winds, Dan? Nice to see you actually talking about these things.

[mamacat]

I am no longer surprised by revelations of neo-con shenanigans. I am very surprised when I hear of Bush's people doing something right. Can't remember when that last happened, though.

[shaharazade]

thank you so much for both your show and KO. They are the only news on TV that resembles journalism. I really wish you would get rid of the sleazy creepy shows like Lock Up and the fatuous Tucker. More good stuff, and then people won't have to reach for their clickers the minute your networks gems are over. Thanks again this is what the media in a free society should look like.