Hans Von Spakovsky 101: How To Suppress The Vote Like A Pro
Hans Von Spakovsky 101: How To Suppress The Vote Like A Pro
Today, the Senate Rules and Administration Committee will vote on the nomination of Hans von Spakovsky for a seat on the Federal Election Commission. In June, the Rules Committee held a confirmation hearing on four nominees to the FEC. But much of the hearing focused on Spakovsky, who has become a lighting rod for criticism over his controversial tenure in the Justice Department.
The committee did not vote on von Spakovsky at the time because chairwoman Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) wanted to give Spakovsky “a chance to respond in writing to a letter, submitted by six former career staffers at the Justice Department, opposing his nomination.”
Spakovsky, a former political appointee in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division whom President Bush temporarily placed on the FEC using a recess appointment, is said to have “used every opportunity he had over four years in the Justice Department to make it difficult for voters — poor, minority and Democratic — to go to the polls.”
Here’s an overview of his record of disenfranchising voters:
Spakovsky stalled ruling on Mississippi redistricting, effecting electoral outcomes: In 2002, under Spakovsky’s leadership, the DoJ stalled making a determination under the Voting Rights Act on a conservative-drawn redistricting plan, approving it by default. The plan influenced the outcome of a key House race.
Spakovsky pushed through Texas re-districting that violated the Voting Rights Act: In 2003, “led the battle within [the] Civil Rights Division to approve the Texas redistricting.” In 2006, the Supreme Court held that parts of the plan violated provisions of Voting Rights Act by diluting minority voting strength.
Spakovsky urged Maryland officials to reject voter registration forms of lawful voters: In 2003, Spakovsky told a Maryland election official to deny voter registration applications if any of the information on the application failed to match what is in the DMV and Social Security databases. The move exceeded federal law and was found to needlessly reject thousands of applications to vote that were lawful.
Spakovsky blocked an investigation into voter discrimination against Native Americans: In 2004, then-Minnesota U.S. Attrorney Thomas Heffelfinger believed a state voter ID ruling would disenfranchise Indian voters, but when the DoJ’s voting rights section sought to open an investigation, Spakovsky directed attorneys not to contact county officials, which “effectively ended any department inquiry.”
Spakovsky approved “modern day poll tax” over objections of career staff: In 2005, a team of Justice Department lawyers and analysts who reviewed a Georgia voter-identification law recommended rejecting it because it was likely to discriminate against black voters. But the law was approved the next day by political appointees, including Spakovsky. When the law was eventually overturned, a federal judge compared it to a Jim Crow-era poll tax.
In June, five House Democrats from Georgia, including civil rights veteran John Lewis of Atlanta, wrote a letter cautioning senators against confirming Spakovsky, saying his appointment “could potentially turn back the clock on 50 years of progress” in voting rights.
As the six former Justice Department officials wrote in June, because of his “dubious stewardship” of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, the Senate Rules Committee should “refuse to reward” him with a seat on the Federal Election Commission.
The Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights has more on Spakovsky here and here. Paul Kiel at TPMMuckraker has more as well.
UPDATE: Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick has more on why Spakovsky shouldn’t be confirmed here.
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31 Responses to “Hans Von Spakovsky 101: How To Suppress The Vote Like A Pro”
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That's why the Republican candidates don't bother to debate in front of voters of color....
they already know their votes aren't going to be counted....
September 26th, 2007 at 10:39 amAdded to the "first against the wall when the revolution comes" list.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:40 amWhen America Went Fascist: This is a must read if you want to understand how this country slid down the slippery slope and is rapidly approaching the great, dark abyss.
http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/10121
September 26th, 2007 at 10:44 amAmerica went "Fascist" the day the Supreme Court appointed GWB and halted the vote recount. Don't be fooled. Germans were fooled initially by the installation of the Fuerer but soon discovered that they'd been had. Some of us have seen the handwriting on the wall for years; others are just discovering it now....bit by ugly bit. Fascism in this country is not "just happening"; it's already in place with the now-certified Dictatorship of GWB.
The only things left to fall into place for them will be another false flag operation on american soil and the installation of martial law. At that point, it's all over but for the crying.
We need to find a candidate who will immediately overturn The Patriot Act and reinstate the writ of Habeas Corpus. Just viewing Bush's pussy signing statements where in he masks his "above the law" position and tricks the people into believing that the laws apply to him and his henchmen.
People need to wake up and wake up fast or this democracy will be totally gone while america sleeps.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:53 amAnd to prove that Bush has become a 'dictator" is to see how he patently rejects ALL subpoenas from Congress for documents and tells his lackies and clerks to do the same. Ask yourself: Is this not the hallmark of a Dictator?
September 26th, 2007 at 10:55 amBesides, in overturning the Patriot Act, THE PEOPLE can decide precisely what portions of it are not subject to power abuse and which WE feel we need in order to keep us safe.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:56 amAnd the dictator has maintained control of the mass media - at least most of the prime time news programs.....another hallmark of Fascism.
What's left before a decided determination of Fascism is affixed to this nation?
As they say: If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck ..... it's probably a duck.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:57 amWhy doesn't Feinstein just change sides like Joe? Stop linking her with democratic ideals, she seems to approve of a lot of things abhorrent to me.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:00 amspeaking of which, why is Joe not in the back bench on the committee to pick through feces for the peanuts?
Look at your senate, you can see the absolute insanity that rules
We can’t have ID at the polls now can we libs? Yeah, that’s outrageous.
Comment by Toliver — September 26, 2007
I see you didn't read the links, hipocon
September 26th, 2007 at 11:02 amAmazing that the debate is whether or not Spakovsky should get the seat on the Federal Election Commission, when the real issue is: why hasn't he been arrested and charged with the crimes he is so unabashedly guilty of?
September 26th, 2007 at 11:06 amToliver sez:
Hit-n-run troll. No point in responding.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:08 amVeritas - you are completely correct. Thanks for the link. I've been telling people this for years, and even most of my "liberal" friends refuse to see it. Granted, it's frightening. Cancer isn't fought unless it's diagnosed first. And fascism in America is a cancer on our nation as we write. Remember this?
"If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator."
See CNN transcript from 12/18/2000:
http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/
http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0012/18/nd.01.html
September 26th, 2007 at 11:12 amcomity sez:
She has to appear completely impartial and objective, or else the Repukes will start braying "partisan politics!" again, and stampede the spineless Dems off yet another cliff.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:12 amHas his plane to Gitmo left yet??
September 26th, 2007 at 11:14 amComment by Veritas — September 26, 2007 @ 10:44 am
Indeed, Veritas. I've been saying for a while now that history books will record the 2000 appointment of Chimpy as the moment the United States of America died, and the moment the American Empire was born.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:15 amWe can’t have ID at the polls now can we libs? Yeah, that’s outrageous.
Comment by Toliver — September 26, 2007 @ 10:45 am
Republicn claims of voter fraud did turn out to be true, ya know. Unfortuantely, almost ALL the fraud was committed by GOOpers!
September 26th, 2007 at 11:24 am“Von Spakovsky was also running his own “personal?†propaganda/disinformation campaign under the non-de-plume “Publius.â€
Apparently “Publius†was running his propaganda campaign while he was still at DOJ.â€
http://www.votelaw.com/blog/archives/003980.html
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003255.php
It's nice to agree with yourself, but I wish wingnuts would close the door first.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:30 amGeez -- could there possibly be a WORSE nominee for this post? Why Feinstein is accommodating him is a mystery -- the Senate should just vote him down and move on. Unless, of course, DiFi is just giving him more rope to hang himself with.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:31 amDiFi is just giving him more rope to hang himself with.
Comment by missmolly — September 26, 2007 @ 11:31 am
DiFi has always been a closet GOOPer.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:33 amPoll taxes, literacy tests, and all manner of voter suppression tools are anathema. The stench of such measures is that of discrimination and exploitation--a stench that wafts in from the right.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:35 amI'll be damned if I don't see a little brushy moustache under his lip.
September 26th, 2007 at 11:59 amGimme a Seig Heil, you good little brownshirt.
This is outragious. If the democrats roll over on this one they will have really shown there true colors. Yellow for sure being one of them.
September 26th, 2007 at 12:05 pmAnother excellent post. I can't believe that none of the MSM are talking about this.
Spakovsky would be better off if he had a beard.
September 26th, 2007 at 12:08 pmf it’s a “good†idea, how do you propose screening out anyone not properly registered to vote?
Comment by Rory — September 26, 2007 @ 12:07 pm
Well, seeing as almost all proven cases of voter fraud over the last few yrs were actually perped by GOOPers, indeed, how do we stop this malfiesance?
September 26th, 2007 at 12:19 pmThe Republic of Stupidity sez:
Just a quick point of clarification:
"Voter fraud" is when people ineligible to vote for whatever reason attempt to vote anyway, in an effort to illegally sway the results.
"Voter fraud" is almost nonexistent in this country, the Republicans' hysterical accusations notwithstanding.
"Election fraud", on the other hand, is an attempt made by people who have some sort of control over the voting and tabulating process to illegally sway the results.
"Election fraud" is epidemic in this country, the Republicans' hysterical denials notwithstanding.
It's important to keep the two firmly separated. One of the neocons' strategies is conflating the two, thus confusing debate.
September 26th, 2007 at 12:34 pmThe Republicans cheated...and yet they still lost. How much worse can it get for the poor bastards?
September 26th, 2007 at 1:10 pm#32 ~ Wait till Nov 08!!
September 26th, 2007 at 1:36 pmVeritas,
I agree with you and it just isn't Bush. It is Dems, too. We need a major overhaul in all politicians. At all levels. Need to start at the grassroot level. Need term limits on Congress. Too many relics. Need a Fair Tax so it will limit special interests power in Washington and give the people more freedom and power.
Also, if you cannot afford $20 to get a picture id or bring a utility bill to prove who you are when it is time to vote, you may want to address your financial situation. Hence, the cell phone or that new hair style.
Voter fraud is done by both sides. The true reason turn out is so low because no one cares.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:20 pm#32 That whole story is spun tighter than a face lift on Joan Rivers.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:21 pm#31 Both sides yell, "Voter Fraud!" "Election Fraud!" All the time.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:22 pmThis is an important one for the Righties - they know that, if it's a fair election, they can't win it.
September 27th, 2007 at 2:18 pm