Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights to Appear at May 14, 2010 U.S. Civil Rights Commission Hearing to Defend the Justice Department's Dismissal of the New Black Panther Party Voter Intimidation Case

WASHINGTON, May 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United States Commission on Civil Rights announces that Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez will represent the Justice Department at the Commission's May 14, 2010 hearing to defend DOJ's controversial decision to dismiss the New Black Panther Party voter intimidation case.  

The purpose of the hearing is to collect information relating to the Department of Justice’s enforcement of Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits voter intimidation, following an incident at a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania polling place on Election Day 2008 involving members of the New Black Panther Party, who positioned themselves at the entrance to a polling place in paramilitary garb and brandished a night stick, while yelling racial epithets.  Despite a default judgment in its favor, the Department dismissed charges against three defendants in the case and obtained an order, in effect until 2012, enjoining the fourth from displaying a weapon within 100 feet of any open polling location on any election day in the City of Philadelphia.

A Commission business meeting will follow Mr. Perez's appearance.

The Commission has broad authority to investigate allegations of voting irregularities, including voter intimidation, and is authorized to hold hearings and issue subpoenas for the production of documents and attendance of witnesses.  

Persons with a disability requiring special services should contact Pamela Dunston at least seven days prior to the meeting at 202-376-8105.  

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is an independent, bipartisan agency charged with monitoring federal civil rights enforcement.  Members include Chairman Gerald A. Reynolds, Vice Chair Abigail Thernstrom, Commissioners Todd Gaziano, Gail Heriot, Peter N. Kirsanow, Arlan D. Melendez, Ashley L. Taylor, Jr., and Michael Yaki.  Martin Dannenfelser is the Staff Director.  Commission meetings are open to the general public.  The Commission's website is http://www.usccr.gov.

SOURCE U.S. Commission on Civil Rights