Cronies and Christians Have Civil Rights Too

Filed under "The Dubya Legacy":

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is quietly remaking the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, filling the permanent ranks with lawyers who have strong conservative credentials but little experience in civil rights, according to job application materials obtained by the [Boston] Globe.

The documents show that only 42 percent of the lawyers hired since 2003, after the administration changed the rules to give political appointees more influence in the hiring process, have civil rights experience. In the two years before the change, 77 percent of those who were hired had civil rights backgrounds.

But who needs a background in the job they will be doing for our government? After all, Brownie did just fine at FEMA with his previous experience in the International Arabian Horse Association.

...At the same time, the kinds of cases the Civil Rights Division is bringing have undergone a shift. The division is bringing fewer voting rights and employment cases involving systematic discrimination against African-Americans, and more alleging reverse discrimination against whites and religious discrimination against Christians.

Because whites and Christians - most especially white Christians - are such a persecuted minority in this country.

"There has been a sea change in the types of cases brought by the division, and that is not likely to change in a new administration because they are hiring people who don't have an expressed interest in traditional civil rights enforcement," said Richard Ugelow, a 29-year career veteran who left the division in 2002.

That's the other thing - experienced civil rights lawyers are leaving in larger numbers. But who needs experienced lawyers for litigation and stuff?

...staffers say, morale has plunged and experienced lawyers are leaving the division. Last year, the administration offered longtime civil rights attorneys a buyout. Department figures show that 63 division attorneys left in 2005 -- nearly twice the average annual number of departures since the late 990s.

Next, look for a special new sub-division which protects the civil rights of cronies, oil company executives and Dick Cheney.


P.S. I want to thank Roger for giving us this opportunity to take over his blog. I hope he's havin' a heck of a vacation!