FormerEmployeeIdentifiesVotingRightsHeadAs‘BothTheCauseAndEffect’OfDoJPoliticization

Yesterday,theJusticeDepartment’scontroversialVotingRightssectionchiefJohnTannertestifiedtotheHouseSubcommitteeonCivilRights.Heofferedananemicapologyforhiscommentsthatminorities“diefirst”beforebecomingelderly,andarethereforenotasaffectedbyvoterIDlaws.Hesaidthecomments“donotinanywayaccuratelyreflectmycareerofdevotiontoenforcingfederallawsdesignedtoassurefairandequalaccesstotheballot.”

YetafterTanner’stestimony,TobyMoore,aformerVotingRightssectionemployee,testifiedthatTanner’sremarks“areafairexampleofTanner’sapproachtofacts,thetruth,andthelaw.”MoorealsosaidthatTanner“isboththecauseandtheeffectofthepoliticizingoftheCivilRightsDivision”andthatthevotingrightssectionwas“awoundedinstitution”:

JohnTannerisboththecauseandtheeffectofthepoliticizingoftheCivilRightsDivision,andshouldnotbeallowedtohidebehindacareerstatuswhichhehasabjuredbyhisactions.

Untilsomeoneinthedepartment,inthisadministrationorthenext,admitstothemistakesofthepastseveralyearsandrestorescredibleleadership,thevotingsectionoftheCivilRightsDivisionwillremainawoundedinstitution.HowlongwilltheDepartmentofJusticetoleratechronicmismanagementsimplytosaveface?

OneofTanner’smostcontroversialactsasVotingRightschiefsurroundedhisapprovalofa2005Georgialawrequiringvoterstoshowphotoidentificationtovote,alawafederaljudgecomparedtoaJimCrow-erapolltax.TodayMoorecalledita“discriminatoryand“nastypieceoflegislation”thatincluded“draconianrestrictions.”

UndertheBushadministration,theCivilRightsdivision,ofwhichtheVotingRightssectionisapart,hasundergone“aseachange,”shiftingfromitstraditionalfocusofprotectingminorityvotingrightstobringingcasesallegingreversediscriminationagainstwhites.Thesection“hasnotablyshirkeditslegalresponsibilitytoprotectvotingrights,”formerVotingRightssectionheadJosephRichwrotelastMarch.

--ThinkProgress;courtesyofFrankLeidermann,AssociateEditor