DoJ blocks voting section chief from testifying.
By on Jul 16th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
DoJ blocks voting section chief from testifying.
The House Judiciary Committee’s scheduled hearing tomorrow on the Civil Rights Division’s voting rights section has been canceled because “the Justice Department has refused to allow the chief of the section, John Tanner, to testify.” As TPMmuckraker notes, “Tanner worked hand in hand with political appointees Bradley Schlozman and Hans von Spakovsky to ensure the passage of voter identification laws in Georgia and elsewhere — sometimes overruling the recommendations of staff analysts and attorneys, who found that the laws might discriminate against African American voters.”
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This is sinful!
July 16th, 2007 at 6:49 pmImpeach. Imprison.
July 16th, 2007 at 6:51 pmExecutive privelege??? Again?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Okay, how are the REPUKES going to spin this one?
July 16th, 2007 at 6:53 pmOn what grounds? I mean besides the obvious one of a cover-up. What is their legal/procedural pretext?
July 16th, 2007 at 6:54 pmo.k.
July 16th, 2007 at 6:56 pmWhy do the NeoCon BushCos even pretend any more to follow any rule of law. It is such a waste of time and energy.
July 16th, 2007 at 6:57 pmFor more background on the Republican emphasis on non-existent voter fraud, see:
July 16th, 2007 at 7:02 pm“Divide, Suppress and Conquer: The GOP’s 25% Strategy.”
Thanks for the valuable link, Furious. When the GOP/DoJ wall of silence on this scandal cracks — and you know it will, whether it’s the result of a subpoena or a multimillion dollar book deal — it will stain the GOP for decades.
July 16th, 2007 at 7:05 pmIOKIYAR
That’s the mantra.
July 16th, 2007 at 7:07 pmThey either claim executive privilege or it’s just “because I said no.”
And they go on about their business, answering to no one for their actions.
If we let disregard for authority and the law go on like this without taking punitive action, we will have abandoned our laws and our Constitution, giving them up to the despots who are in the White House, and all those who will follow them (that is if they will allow future elections).
They simply operate outside the law. It’s beyond belief. They should force the issue, get the documents required by the Presidential Records Act and enforce collection of the docs from WH, DOJ and the RNC. This is insane, they have all the testimony and evidence they need for a criminal case for all of them. Gonzales is still in his job! We are paying these clowns to destroy our govt. and twist it into a tool for their sick, neocon agenda.
July 16th, 2007 at 7:18 pmHow can they be such lock steppers? How can the supporters blindly support this admin.? Their national voter fraud scheme is worth hiding obviously.
Congress needs to send in agents to get the documents NOW.
Executive privelege??? Again?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Okay, how are the REPUKES going to spin this one?
Comment by IraqVet
Very good reply, but the real question is are WE going to let them get away with it? Is everyone writing their congresscritters? I would hope so. I believe they are all looking for some hint that the People (that’s us) are just about done with the whole neocon agenda. I’ll tell ya: a million letters, phone calls, or email A DAY would create a sense of urgency. I guarantee it. So lets all make the commitment to communicate with our employees at least everyday – in whatever form you are most comfortable. We can make it happen. yes we can!
July 16th, 2007 at 7:22 pmWait… wait… here it comes…
Clinton did it too!!!
July 16th, 2007 at 7:26 pmwow
July 16th, 2007 at 7:26 pmImpeach NOW!
Impeach NOW!
Impeach NOW!
Impeach NOW!
July 16th, 2007 at 7:29 pmBelieve it or not, they cannot use the Clinton excuse!
July 16th, 2007 at 7:30 pmClinton waived priviledge and let people testify.
So the mantra should be, ‘be like Clinton and let people testify’!!
DoJ: We don’t need no stinkin’ oversight. Piss off….
July 16th, 2007 at 7:51 pmIt’s clear that what they are covering up, is a vote rigging operation of a national scale. From mandating electronic vote machines with software that was designed to be hacked, to voter list purges, to voter intimidation, US attorneys charging Democrats, phone jamming, cover up’s everywhere you look, Republican officials in every key position…
The Republicans have installed themselves in office for the past decade via this machine and the evidence is everywhere — A crime so massive that the firewall of denails, intimidation and stonewalling is flaming up everywhere.
Wait untill the subpoenas are enforced and a Bush appointed fereral appeals judge tosses the case…. this is a big a crime as you can commit in a Democracy and they are not going to give ups easily.
Think big – they did..
July 16th, 2007 at 8:02 pmHELP! I have been lead to believe that if one is issued a subpena then one “must” at leqast respond to it “in Person!” to at least notify the issuing agency that they will not respond to the subpena.
July 16th, 2007 at 8:10 pmNow- is that correct or have I been mislead?
PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And that’s it? No oversight because the subjects of the oversight refuse to cooperate?
Congress might as well go out of session permanently.
July 16th, 2007 at 8:26 pmwhat national security or p-residential reason for this to be a secret? got the feeling this one crosses the line some. can’t cover it under anything that would justify everyone not knowing about the civil rights division? maybe jose padilla is going to be tried under this department?
July 16th, 2007 at 8:48 pmpoor fellow, this department is probably as scary as the justice department, and just as corrupt, or if possible, more so?
How many times do we need to say, “Obstruction of Justice?”
July 16th, 2007 at 9:08 pmI don’t think that this person was subpoenaed to testify. Therefore the Congress should immediately issue a subpoena. Then when this clown refuses to show up, use the Inherent Contempt provision on him, then Harriet Meiers and then on Sara Taylor.
Inherent Contempt is the only weapon the Democrats have to use against these neoCONS to force them to testify. It’s either that or impeachment.
July 16th, 2007 at 9:09 pmBushco is just totally battening down the hatches, obviously. Next step: subpoena Tanner. Never relent. The more they hide, the greater the coming revelations and the ensuing electoral reversals, not to mention humiliation and long-term discrediting of the conservative movement. But never relent. The time of opportunity requires swift and decisive action. Right now: subpoena Tanner.
July 16th, 2007 at 9:16 pmUnreal. These people really are a menace to society.
July 16th, 2007 at 9:41 pmAbout all these guys can do is stonewall.
It’s just that deep that they can’t wade in it anymore.
July 16th, 2007 at 10:29 pmNo surprise here. Gonzo clearly believes that he can do whatever he wants at any time.
I cannot wait to see this sycophant reduced to size. Gonzo is an incompetent attorney who has been kissing Bush’s behind for years.
Gonzo is an affirmative action child. Not too bright but diligent. That is why Harvard accepted and graduated him.
It is just par for the course that an incompetent, society-spoiled, little twerp, would be the attorney of a moronic sociopath such as Bush.
July 16th, 2007 at 10:59 pmThis scandal has Rove’s sweaty, smudged fingerprints all over it–part of his “permanent Republican majority” dream.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:28 pmWhat does that mean “refuse to allow?” On what grounds? I mean it’s close to subborning perjury to interfere with someone’s testimony in Congress. How many weeks will we have to wait for the subpeonas to be issued?
July 16th, 2007 at 11:36 pmIt should be obvious to everyone that the reason Gonzo is in place is to run interference for the thugs of the crime family…if Gonzo doesn’t enforce the law, KKKarl Rove is protected from the law. The Democratic Party must continue with the investigations and when this evil crime family is out of office, turn their filthy asses over to the Hague. They have committed many war crimes and broken international law as well as our law. These thugs are a crime family trying to destroy our way of life.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:41 pm“No surprise here. Gonzo clearly believes that he can do whatever he wants at any time.”
He can do whatever he wants at any time. So can Bush. And why is that? Because Nancy Pelosi refuses to put impeachment on the table. As long as she and the Democrats follow that philosophy, the Bush Crime Family and their ilk will continue to thumb their noses in Congress’ face and in the face of “we the people”.
Without the threat of being held accountable, what is there to stop Bush from declaring himself King and completely taking over our country?
July 17th, 2007 at 12:45 amIt’s already public record about the Georgia voter identification law being contested (it’s flat out wrong that anybody should have to pony up $20 merely for the right to vote — but that’s probably another thread). I suspect the Bushies are afraid that other unsavory practices by the GOP will come to light — caging, voter harrassment, voting machine manipulation, and anything else this administration is capable of.
July 17th, 2007 at 9:08 am“But the true threats to stability and peace are these nations that are not very transparent, that hide behind the-that don’t let people in to take a look and see what they’re up to. They’re very kind of authoritarian regimes.” -George W. Bush, March 13, 2001
Checks and Balances?
Blind Justice?
This is proof that the Judicial branch has been politicized.
July 17th, 2007 at 2:17 pmImpeach Gonzo! Then Sneer, then Smirk, then …
Hi,
July 17th, 2007 at 4:40 pmThank you or a well written and informative article on an importent topic.
jimmy f