Opposing the von Spakovsky Nomination

by Jon Greenbaum

Yesterday, I joined five former Department of Justice career attorneys in sending a letter to the chair and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration opposing the nomination of Hans von Spakovsky to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC). We all served in the Voting Section when Mr. von Spakovsky acted as Voting Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division.

During his tenure at the Department, Mr. von Spakovsky played a major role in the injection of partisan politics into the decision-making process regarding both enforcement and hiring practices. Furthermore, Mr. von Spakovsky engaged in repeated efforts to intimidate career attorneys and was the point person for undermining the Civil Rights Division's mandate to protect voting rights.

The authors of the letter also included my current colleague, Joe Rich, former Chief of the Voting Section and now Director of the Lawyers' Committee's Fair Housing.

The Committee has scheduled a nomination hearing for Mr. von Spakovsky and three others nominated to the FEC on June 13, 2007.

Read the letter we sent to the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration here.