Obama: Fire Voting Rights Chief For Saying "Minorities Die First"

[Mass]

Obama: Fire Voting Rights Chief

By Paul Kiel - October 19, 2007, 10:45AM

In a letter today, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) urged the acting attorney general to fire voting rights section chief John Tanner. Citing Tanner's remarks earlier this month that "minorities don't become elderly the way white people do: They die first," Obama wrote that "Through his inexcusable comments, Mr. Tanner has clearly demonstrated that he possesses neither the character nor the judgment to be heading the Voting Rights Section." He concluded: "For that reason, I respectfully request that you remove him from his position."


...
This is second time this month that Obama has come out hard against a controversial figure from the Civil Rights Division. Earlier, he joined with Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) in blocking the nomination of Hans von Spakovsky to the Federal Election Commission.

Obama's letter is below.

October 19, 2007

The Honorable Peter D. Keisler
Acting Attorney General
Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001


Dear Mr. Keisler:

On October 5, 2007, at the National Latino Congreso in Los Angeles, John Tanner, the chief of the voting rights section of the Civil Rights Division, spoke on a panel regarding minority voters. During the course of that discussion, which focused on recent state laws requiring photo identification for voting, Mr. Tanner said that such photo ID requirements disadvantage the elderly "nd that's a shame." He explained: "You know, creating problems for elderly persons just is not good under any circumstance."

However, according to Mr. Tanner, such requirements do not disenfranchise minorities, and in fact, they actually benefit minorities. He said: "Our society is such that minorities don't become elderly the way white people do; they die first. There are inequities in health care. There are a variety of inequities in this country. And so anything that disproportionately impacts the elderly has the opposite impact on minorities; just the math is such as that."

Such comments are patently erroneous, offensive, and dangerous, and they are especially troubling coming from the federal official charged with protecting voting rights in this country. Mr. Tanner has already demonstrated questionable judgment in overruling the decision of Justice Department lawyers that the Georgia photo ID requirement would disproportionately discriminate against African Americans. For Mr. Tanner to now suggest, in an effort to defend his erroneous decision, that photo identification are not necessary for minority voters because "they die first" shows just how far the Justice Department has fallen. This is a disgrace and yet another reason why the next Attorney General must demonstrate a strong commitment to civil rights.

But, until the next Attorney General is confirmed, you are in charge of the Department, and you are in charge of ensuring that our laws are enforced and that the civil rights of all Americans are protected. Through his inexcusable comments, Mr. Tanner has clearly demonstrated that he possesses neither the character nor the judgment to be heading the Voting Rights Section. For that reason, I respectfully request that you remove him from his position.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama
United States Senator

[flpoljunkie]

1. More telling evidence of the calibre of Bush's appointments. Thank you, Barack!

[Colobo]

2. Barack Obama: A True Leader.

[Tellurian]

75. Any Examples you can list?

[mod mom]

3. this statement infuriated me. Good for Obama, but all Dems should follow suit.

[hughee99]

4. So is the issue that he is suggesting that minorities

have shorter life expectancies, or just the callous way he worded it?

[hughee99]

5. Sorry, dupe. n/t

[mod mom]

6. There's MORE TO THIS STORY THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED- from TPM Muck:

Bush's Legacy on Voting Rights: A Story from Ohio
By Paul Kiel - October 12, 2007, 10:32AM
In June of 2005, John Tanner, the chief of the voting rights section, wrote Columbus, Ohio's election officials to publicly assure them that the Justice Department had found no evidence of intentional African-American voter disenfranchisement in the 2004 election.

Not only was that an unprecedented move, former Department lawyers say, but the letter is another, and particularly galling, example of Tanner using the force of the Department to further Republican aims -- in this case, to hamper future lawsuits or investigations concerning the problems in Columbus.

"It really looked like the Civil Rights Division was used to run interference for Republican election officials in Ohio," former voting rights section deputy chief Bob Kengle told me.

At issue was the experience of thousands of voters in Franklin County, Ohio, in the 2004 election. Voters in mostly African-American precincts were forced to wait hours in long lines to vote. An investigation by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) found that voters often waited as many as four to five hours, some as many as seven, deep into the night. The Washington Post reported that "bipartisan estimates say that 5,000 to 15,000 frustrated voters turned away without casting ballots." The culprit, of course, was a scarcity of voting machines in those districts, one that seemed to follow a suspicious trend: "27 of the 30 wards with the most machines per registered voter showed majorities for Bush" and "six of the seven wards with the fewest machines delivered large margins for Kerry."

-snip

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004438.php

[mod mom]

7. Freepress.org "An Open Letter to John Tanner (Dated 7/2/2005):

An Open Letter to John Tanner, Chief, Voting Section, U.S. Department of Justice
July 2, 2005

An Open Letter to John Tanner, Chief, Voting Section, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Section in response to his June 29, 2005 letter to Nick A. Soulas, Jr., Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Civil Division, Franklin County:

Dear Mr. Tanner:

I was curious to find that you had “conducted an investigation into the November 2, 2004 general election in Franklin County, prompted by allegations that Franklin County systematically assigned fewer voting machines in polling places serving predominantly black communities as compared to its assignment of machines in predominantly white communities.”

Let me begin by suggesting the word “contrasted” would be more appropriate than “compared.” Indeed, the difference is literally black and white.

You praise the bipartisan nature of the Franklin County Board of Elections (BOE). But you fail to mention that the Director, Matt Damschroder, is the former Chair of the Franklin County Republican Party, and that J. Kenneth Blackwell, Ohio’s Secretary of State and the Co-Chair of the Bush-Cheney Re-election Committee appoints all board members as well as officers, and they serve at his pleasure. Blackwell’s actions throughout the election year were openly partisan and obviously unethical.

For example, I was at a meeting prior to the election where Mr. Damschroder informed a delegation of esteemed international election observers that he would have them arrested based on the orders of Blackwell if they crossed the 100-foot line outside the polls to observe closer to the voting site. Is that what you mean by “the spirit of cooperation?”

-snip
http://freepress.org/columns/display/3/2005/1158

[donsu]

8. thank you Barack

nt

[mod mom]

9. From Kos:

Justice Dept: 2004 Ohio Voting Problems Solved
by FWIW

Sat Oct 13, 2007 at 09:40:37 PM PDT

TPMMuckraker has the story: a recently discovered letter from John Tanner, chief of the Justice Department voting rights section, explains the problems encountered in the November 2004 general elections. Tanner wrote that the investigation by the Justice Department had been closed, and:

...the principal cause of the difference appears to be the tendency in Franklin County for white voters to cast ballots in the morning (i.e., before work), and for black voters to cast ballots in the afternoon (i.e., after work).

Seriously.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. took exception to that explanation. He issued a press release the same day in which he said,

"The 2004 election exposed serious deficiencies in this section's failure to adequately investigate and prosecute voter suppression efforts nationwide and I hope he is prepared to address this issue head on."

FWIW's diary :: ::
Rep. John Conyers' full statement:

I am concerned about the extreme lengths Mr. Tanner went to in order to justify the reasons African-Americans were not treated equally in the 2004 Ohio election. The committee needs to consider this matter. I am aware of no precedent for the Department acting in this capacity in the past.

The Department of Justice – since the Voting Rights Act of 1965 – has a responsibility to thoroughly investigate allegations of voter suppression and discrimination, like those made in Ohio in 2004. I look forward to hearing more from Mr. Tanner in our committee later this month as he testifies about his work as chief of the voting section. The 2004 election exposed serious deficiencies in this section's failure to adequately investigate and prosecute voter suppression efforts nationwide and I hope he is prepared to address this issue head on.



-snip

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/10/14/04037/608

[mod mom]

10. If anyone has contacts to Obama's camp, please make him aware of the 2005 letter & to speak

to Conyers regarding his action. It's NOT JUST INAPPROPRIATE REMARKS!

[LeFleur1]

11. Honorable Title

When writing to these people why still use the title "Honorable" ?
There appears to be nothing honorable about most of them. Why not the title
"Sludgebucket"?

[mod mom]

13. I've got to believe it is difficult for the Dems to use decorum in these trying times. 'SLUDGEBUCKET

WORKS FOR ME!

:hi:

[Adelante]

12. It's a talking point

Right there are two officials using talking points. Jeez.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mass]

15. Everything coming from your mouth is suspect.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ellacott]

17. My goodness, you are going to burst with this hate

What is so terribly sad is that you probably have no idea what you are doing.

Kerry and Bush are also related. I wonder if anyone made those kind comments about him, probably not.

What this person said was so wrong and racist but all you are concerned about is taking a swipe at Obama. What does Hillary have to say about this?

What a shameful post.

[Mass]

18. Oh yes, do not worry. The same idiots have been attacking Kerry with the same lines.

Actually, some of Hillary's supporters were against Kerry because of his IWR vote. Ironic.

[geek tragedy]

21. Remember: Hillaryis44.com is a Republican

website.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ellacott]

23. Kerry was related to Bush, period

What you said makes no sense.

This is nothing about denial. It appears that you are doing everything you can to desseminate information(very little fact) from Hillaryis 44. just to get you candidate elected.

You are in this so deep that you can't see what you are doing.

[geek tragedy]

26. Sorry, dearest, but you peddle in nothing but hate.

You don't deal in facts.

Which makes sense, since your signature affiliates you with a Republican hate site.

Fact is even the most passionate, loyal Democratic Clinton partisans here can't stand to be associated with you.

[geek tragedy]

19. Are you trying to make Clinton supporters look bad?

Seriously, you do more to discredit the Clinton campaign than I could ever possibly hope to do.

Keep it up.

[Tellurian]

24. Thats your job isn't it?

and your consistent disregard for personal attacks on posters..strickly forbidden by DU rules..

Have command of the facts much?

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tellurian]

32. Seriously, furthering your education could result in a pay raise..

could even result in personality enhancement by taking an Affirmation Class as an elective!

[Mass]

20. Daddy Bush called Bill Clinton his fifth son. And you want us to be shocked by a

11th remote connection.
:rofl:

[Tellurian]

25. No blood connection...or don't you know the difference?

:rofl:

[Mass]

28. So what. It is a CHOSEN link!!! Seems a little bit worse.

:rofl:

But thanks for kicking the thread.

[geek tragedy]

30. People who discriminate on the basis of ancestry

are rightwing racists.

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[geek tragedy]

61. Only the world's biggest idiot would think that Barack Obama

would continue their policies because of an extraordinarily attenuated familial relationship.

[Name removed]

65. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tellurian]

74. And how are you today, Katzenkavalier?

get out there and hustle for the rock star!

[ellacott]

33. That's what a lot of adoptive parents tell their children

Some tell them they were extra special because they were specifically chosen out of all the other children.

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ellacott]

41. Now what do you know what my head looks like

You are so childish.

There is a debate as to who's policies would be closer to BUsh Cheney. Most people believe that under HRC it would be more of Bush Cheney. Regardless, no one really knows but I doubt it would happen under Obama.

Now what does HRC have to say about the comments made by this person.

You are not a good advocate for you cause. I know you won't admit that and the other HRC supporters here won't tell you that but you really need to take it down a few notches.

[Tellurian]

44. Tell me...why does Obama discriminate against Boomers?

[Tellurian]

49. Obama discriminates against Baby Boomers...

Shushing the Baby Boomers

THE time has come, Senator Barack Obama says, for the baby boomers to get over themselves.

In taking the first steps toward a presidential candidacy last week, Mr. Obama, who was born in 1961 and considers himself a member of the post-boomer generation, said Americans hungered for “a different kind of politics,” one that moved beyond the tired ideological battles of the 1960s.

To make his point, Mr. Obama, a Democrat from Illinois in his first term in the Senate, announced the formation of his presidential exploratory committee in a video streamed on his Web site. He is tieless and relaxed and oh so cool.

Mr. Obama calculates that Americans of all ages are sick of the feuding boomers and ready to turn to the generation that came of age after Vietnam, after the campus culture wars between freaks and straights, and after young people had given up on what überboomer.

Sen Clinton doesn't believe in "age discrimination" against any group of Americans!

...Obama does!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/weekinreview/21broder.html?ex=1327035600&en=b1368edf6827a3a9&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

[ellacott]

52. WTF does this have to do with this topic?!?!

Pull up Tellurian, pull up. You're in too deep.

Politics does need an injection of young blood. Things have been so messed up for so long, maybe we do need a change in direction.

[Tellurian]

73. Tell Obma theres an opening on American Idol...

Acting and playing a president on tv suits him just fine.

[Nedsdag]

77. Gee, Tellurian.

You just described Hillary to a T: acting and playing a president.

[Tellurian]

78. Funny...

I hope you're in the same good spirits when she WINS the Nomination..

[Tellurian]

39. In what country is a presidential candidate's blood link to Bush/Cheney a "good" thing?

[Mass]

40. But thanks for keeping the thread alive.

[incapsulated]

58. In what brain cells...

Does it fucking matter?

Have YOU had your DNA traced?

[SoxFan]

31. Hack

[mod mom]

42. OH YEAH..it's a far stretch to think an Af Am Senator would be outraged over a racial slur.

Your comment "Obama is more a Rethuglican than Democrat" is beyond belief, but not surprising considering the source.

[Name removed]

43. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mod mom]

47. Thanks for keeping this important action by Obama kicked. I believe your comments

on this action speak for themselves. Everyone here is applauding Obama's stance in taking action against Tanner but you.

[geek tragedy]

63. Another materially false statement from you.

What a surprise that a lie about a Democrat comes from someone proud about their allegiance to a Republican website.

[ellacott]

45. John Conyers was also outraged by this statement

What he said was shameful and dishonest and he needs to be called out on it.

[mod mom]

46. Absolutely, Conyers attempted to address the problems with Tanner's '05 Ohio

letter (she my posts above) back when it was written. What was said was indeed awful & worthy of firing, but what Tanner allowed to have happen in Ohio in 2004 and then dismissed is beyond reproach. I hope all Dems join Conyers and Obama and demand the firing of this racist.

[ellacott]

50. Yes, I read your post

When I heard this I was very, very angry. I live in Ohio and I know what problems we encountered. I was angered in 2004 and was even more angry when I read these comments.

[Tellurian]

51. Where was Obama then? It took Obama 2 yrs and a presidential bid to do the right thing?

Now he's pandering to the black vote...a little too late for their taste, I'd say!

[mod mom]

54. BIG DIFFERENCE! Clinton was in a power position, partially due to her husband.

Obama was a freshman senator (although I wished he had spoke up also.) The media would have taken note had the Clintons been vocal but we had Sen Boxer, and that wasn't enough to get them in gear.

The DLC likes to assume to take a leadership role within the party, but they helped undermine exposing two fraudulent elections. If either Gore or Kerry would have taken their rightful office our country would have been so much better off but it would have killed Hillary's chance. The failure of the DLC to acknowledge Gore's win in 2000 (in fact they blame his "loss" (HE WON!!!) on breaking with the DLC and becoming a populist-i'll post a link below) and their active role in keeping Kerry from challenging Ohio in 2004 (thanks to Clinton ally James Carville (also posted below) was calculated as to allow a HRC run in '08. If either would have taken the office they won, then HRC and her corporate cronies would not have had a chance in 2008. Also look how they try to undermine Howard Dean. Anyway, here are some links:

FIRST..GORE BROKE WITH THE DLC TO BECOME A POPULIST:

Published on Sunday, August 20. 2000 in the Boston Globe
Thank You, Al Gore
by Robert Kuttner
A funny thing happened to Al Gore on the way to his surprisingly effective acceptance speech. He became a liberal.

The speech was as liberal as anything FDR or LBJ or Jesse Jackson or one of the Kennedys might have delivered. It was built around a commitment to fight for ordinary people, against large and powerful interests. This, of course, is precisely what made it effective.

The emotional heart of the speech, Gore's honoring of four ordinary American lives, did not just salute the struggles of workaday families, the way Ronald Reagan often did. It identified who was dishonoring their struggles - corporations. He singled out heartless HMOs who pressure a family to sacrifice a child; drug companies that force a pensioner to choose between food and medicine; corporate polluters; corporations that pay workers inadequate wages.

And he identified the solution: strong, reliable public Social Security; better Medicare; welfare reform that rewards work rather than punishing the needy; higher minimum wages; and more investment in public - not voucher - schools, so that working families don't have to send kids to crumbling classrooms.

What is the evil? Corporate power. What is the remedy? Effective government.

-snip
http://www.commondreams.org/views/082000-105.htm

SECOND, AFTER GORE'S WIN THEY BLAME HIS 'LOSS' ON BREAKING WITH THE DLC:

Strange Theory on Why Gore Lost



The so-called Democratic Leadership Council has decided that Al Gore should have acted more like a Republican in order to win the 2000 presidential electoral college vote in addition to his nationwide popular vote victory. This strange finding has drawn some attention, including coverage by the Associated Press and the Environmental News Service -- we have a few excerpts from their reports for you here.
Al Gore, the self-styled environmental candidate in the 2000 Presidential election, lost his bid for the White House because he campaigned on an outdated "populist" platform that was too liberal for most Americans, according to a new report drafted by the Democratic Leadership Council.

The 40-page report, titled "Why Gore Lost, And How Democrats Can Come Back," concludes that the Democratic Party must move towards the political right -- towards the Republicans -- if it wants to regain control of Congress in 2002 and the White House in 2004.

Al From, the DLC's founder and CEO, opened a freewheeling discussion forum by arguing that Democrat Al Gore made a huge tactical mistake by continually emphasizing that he would "fight for the people and not the powerful" as the nation's first president of the 21st Century.

-snip

http://www.progress.org/goredlc2.htm

AND FINALLY, CLINTON ALLY JAMES CARVILLE'S ROLE IN THE QUICK KERRY CONCESSION:

Did Carville Tip Bush Off to Kerry Strategy (Woodward)


By M.J. Rosenberg | bio




On page 344, Woodward describes the doings at the White House in the early morning hours of Wednesday, the day after the '04 election.

Apparently, Kerry had decided not to concede. There were 250,000 outstanding ballots in Ohio.

So Kerry decides to fight. In fact, he considers going to Ohio to camp out with his voters until there is a recount. This is the last thing the White House needs, especially after Florida 2000.

-snip

"Carville told her he had some inside news. The Kerry campaign was going to challenge the provisional ballots in Ohio -- perhaps up to 250,000 of them. 'I don't agree with it, Carville said. I'm just telling you that's what they're talking about.'

-snip

http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/coffeehouse/2006/oct/07/did_carville_tip_bush_off_to_kerry_strategy_woodward

RESEARCH THIS FOR YOURSELVES, BEFORE YOU CAST A VOTE FOR ANY DLC CANDIDATE!

[Tellurian]

59. Hillary is a freshman senator as well.. whats your point?

[ellacott]

55. Uh Tellurian, the man just made the comments last week

So now you are going to speak for black people? You never cease to amaze.


What has Hillary had to say about this?

[Tellurian]

60. Try to keep up...se post #46

[ellacott]

64. Try to take it down a notch

where was Hillary?

[mod mom]

66. As much as an asset as Michele Obama is, she wasn't ever POTUS. Having a former president

along with his senator wife provide outrage would have made the case for attention. The Clintons have much more clout in 2004 than did Senator Obama. Triangulate all you want-what Obama has done in raising the issue deserves praise. Hillary's silence on the matter is very telling.

[ellacott]

67. Yes, it is very telling n/t

[Tellurian]

68. Give me the definition of Triangulation...

I doubt you have any idea of what you're talking about.

[mod mom]

72. Well maybe you should look into issues rather than sit around name calling. Here's a good thread

for you from a respected DUer:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2093491

[Tellurian]

76. You made a statement. Define Triangulation..

why won't you answer the question?

[incapsulated]

53. Are you out of your fucking mind?

Jesus tapdancing Christ.

[SteveM]

69. I usually hang out in the "Gungeon" -- but I see a little of that stuff here (nt)

[Tellurian]

27. K&R

[ellacott]

34. Yes, kick this

so we can identify zealots like this.

[autorank]

36. K*R-Good for Obama and good for IPS. That's the type of thing the Democrats need to do

again and again, just pound the core issues and speak the truth. It's a slow pitch with
this crew because they do so much wrong.

I was even more impressed with Dodd's hold...now that is a real rule breaker if he pursues it,
rules of "The Gentleman's Club"

[ellacott]

38. I liked what Dodd did also n/t

[beachmom]

48. K & R. This is excellent that Obama is doing this. n/t

[mod mom]

56. Absolutely and yet some here blame him for it. I don't get it.

[geek tragedy]

62. No, just some Freepi doing their usual hate routine. n/t

[Mass]

57. Link.

http://tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004507.php

[undergroundpanther]

70. another good ole boy racist pig

Gop is fill of them.They all share the same sorts of toxic personalities.

[AtomicKitten]

71. Right-on, Senator Obama. (nt)