U.S. Civil Rights Commission Criticized

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- Congressional investigators sharply criticized the U.S. Civil Rights Commission Thursday, saying the watchdog agency issues reports without allowing its members to review them and fails to properly award and monitor contracts.

snip>

The commission also angered the GOP with its criticism of the way Florida and its governor, presidential brother Jeb Bush, conducted the disputed 2000 election. Chairwoman Mary Frances Berry then unsuccessfully fought President Bush's appointment of conservative lawyer Peter Kirsanow, who was seated only after a legal fight.

"The commission is now more a public spectacle than it is a serious fact-finding agency that informs the public about the state of civil rights in America," said Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Judiciary's Constitution subcommittee.

The ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, Jerrold Nadler of New York, quickly fired back.

"This repeated harassment of one of the smallest and most poorly funded federal agencies smacks of a political vendetta," Nadler said.
snip>

Congressional investigators also criticized the commission for failing to follow proper procedures in awarding contracts. For example, they said, there were no documents showing how the panel awarded its largest contract, $156,000 for media services, nor were subsequent contracts competitively bid.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-gao-civil-rights,0,3454352.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

Mwaahaha. That's $156,000 that Halliburton will never see! The grand plan is working :eyes:

[Democrats unite]

1. Why does this not surprize me.

eom

[lovedems]

2. Who are these guys to question proper procedures for awarding contracts?

This is probably the funniest thing I have seen all day! They must be planning on disenfranchising the african-american voter in 04 and are getting a head start on discrediting the the civil rights commission.

[Voltaire99]

3. Not a single element of civil society...

...is not under attack from our totalitarian right wing.

America, if you want to recognize yourself five years from now, resist.

[wellst0nev0ter]

4. While Other Articles Lead With "Democrats Criticize. . ."

like this one as if it's supposed to be a partisan issue. How transparently right-leaning could the media get?

[Rose Siding]

9. I didn't even notice

You're right of course. I'm going to look for that more closely.

[mbperrin]

5. Damn! A WHOLE $156,000! Wow!

What is that? about a nanosecond of what Unka Dick and the Whollyburdened Corp are pulling down without ANY BIDDING AT ALL!!!


Hold it. WTF was I thinking? Unka Dick good. Civil rights bad. OK. OK. I got it now.

Sorry.

[Rex]

6. Yes, yes...let's do away with the civil rights commision!

The GOP has spoken, you people (me to) are here to SERVE YOUR MASTERS. Now get back to work, worms.

[smallprint]

7. kick

[Noordam]

8. :kick:

:kick: