Joe Rich criticizes politicization of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division

by Jon Greenbaum

Joe Rich, Project Director of Housing and Community Development at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and former Chief of the Voting Section at the Department of Justice testified today in front of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of the House Judiciary Committee. Mr. Rich reveals how the Civil Rights Division has been rapidly departing from its historic role as the protector of American Civil Rights, turning instead to protecting the political interests of the administration.  The testimony chronicles interference with personnel decision making that had always been shielded from the partisan interest of political appointees, substantive decisions about civil rights enforcement that was corrupted by partisanship and similar disturbing behavior. Taken together with recent revelations about the U.S. Attorney program and the conduct of political appointees in the Civil Division regarding historic tobacco litigation, Joe's testimony further fills out the picture of how politics, not protecting the rights of Americans, is the first concern of this Department of Justice.

Read Joe's illuminating testimony here.