ERIC HOLDER DISMISSES MERITS OF BLACK PANTHER VOTING RIGHTS CASE

As the balance of power shifts in congress, the two men who will head the committees that will be most responsible for investigating the Black Panther voting rights case are Lamar Smith (R-TX), who will head up the House Judiciary Committee and Darrell Issa (R-CA), who will lead the House Oversight Committee on Government Reform. Of the two, Issa has been arguably the most outspoken when it comes to the way the Black Panther voting rights case was handled and it will be interesting to see if rhetoric when not in power matches action when in power.

The New York Times quotes Holder himself on the matter and he doesn't seem to be that concerned:

“We’ve already seen this administration dismiss one case against a political ally — the New Black Panther Party — for no apparent reason,” Mr. Issa and Mr. Smith wrote. “We remain concerned that politicization at the Justice Department once again may result in the administration’s political friends getting a free pass.”

Asked about the prospect of oversight hearings and subpoenas involving the New Black Panther case, Mr. Holder said, “there is no ‘there’ there.”

“The notion that this made-up controversy leads to a belief that this Justice Department is not color-blind in enforcement of civil rights laws is simply not supported by the facts,” he said. “All I have on my side with regard to that is the facts and the law.”

There's plenty 'there' there. As for the premise put forth by Issa and Smith, to argue that the New Black Panther Party (NBPP) is not a political ally of this administration is laughable. Forget the voting rights case for a moment. How about the recent recording of former Green Jobs Czar Van Jones and NBPP leader on December 20th talking about how Jones, who was responsible for distributing $40 Billion of the $787 Billion stimulus package? There is AUDIO of Shabazz talking about having some of that money.

As for answering to Smith and Issa about how the NBPP voting rights case was handled, Holder is dismissing any accusations that it was mishandled. I find it mildly disturbing that he and Smith seem to be a little to chummy. There is a leadership vacuum the Tea Party expects to be filled by Issa and Smith and they better fill it because they're being watched very carefully.

h/t Weasel Zippers.