The attorney general scandal is becoming a voting rights scandal

What originally appeared to be a case of executive arrogance is rapidly becoming a scandal about voter suppression and outright racism in the Justice Department.

Originally, reports that the Patriot Act had been rewritten to allow A.G. Gonzales to appoint new U.S. Attorneys without ever subjecting them to Senate approval looked like the Bush administration simply grabbing more power. Most believed that he only wanted to appoint a group of loyalists throughout the agency and purge anyone who showed a sense of independence. So we had lots of arguments about USA's "serving at the pleasure of the president" and too many editorials suggesting the scandal was overblown.

That would've been bad enough. An agency like the Justice Department has to be seen as fair and non-partisan in it's enforcement of the nation's laws.

But in time after time, starting with Iglesias' firing for refusing to pursue a weak case against Democrats, through the USA Spakovsky shutting down investigations of voter discrimination, to the appointment of Karl Rove's hatchet man, Tim Griffin, the common denominator is always voter suppression.

Specifically, the Justice Department has been actively involved in voter "caging" and discrimination, particularly in the states of Florida and Ohio.

The latest report implicates yet another U.S. Attorney in an attempt to strip African Americans of their right to vote:

Four days before the 2004 election, the Justice Department’s civil rights chief sent an unusual letter to a federal judge in Ohio who was weighing whether to let Republicans challenge the credentials of 23,000 mostly African-American voters.

The case was triggered by allegations that Republicans had sent a mass mailing to mostly Democratic-leaning minorities and used undeliverable letters to compile a list of voters potentially vulnerable to eligibility challenges.

This time, the culprit was Alex Acosta, then Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, now USA for the Southern District of Florida. In his official capacity, he submitted a letter to the judge hearing the case, arguing:

that it would "undermine" the enforcement of state and federal election laws if citizens could not challenge voters’ credentials.

In other words the head of the Civil Rights division was openly supporting a partisan challenge against tens of thousands of minority voters.

"Tim needs to be carefully managed"

Following the catastrophic loss of both chambers of Congress, the A.G.'s office pushed forward in appointing Karl Rove's political apprentice, Tim Griffin, as a U.S. Attorney for Arkansas. Senators became alarmed when they realized that a clause in the recently reauthorized Patriot Act enabled the A.G. to appoint USA's without Senate confirmation.

From the House Judiciary Committee document dump:

From: Sampson, Kyle Friday, December 15,2006 4:45 PM
To: 'Oprisan. Christopher G.', Goodling, Monica

Importance: High

The Senators' Chiefs of Staff now have been notified of our intention (1) to put Griffin in as USA under an AG appointment and (2) to issue a press release our of DOJ today stating the same.

Chris, I think the While House (you) needs to continue the dialogue with the Senators re our desire to have the President nominate, and the Senate confirm. Griffin. They think they smell a rat, i.e., that we are doing an end around of their advice and consent authority by exercising the new, unlimited AG appointment authority.

Monica, please be sure that the Griffin meeting with Sen. Pryor gets scheduled.

Kyle Sampson
Chief of Staff
U.S. Department of Justice

This plan blew up when Arkansas Senator Pryor (D) objected to Griffin's appointment and the attempt to cut the Senate out of the process. The press quickly caught wind of the scandal and by February, Griffin was panicking and in daily contact with Monica Goodling over his status.

From: Sampson, Kyle, Friday, February 02, 2007 2:35 PM
To: Oprison, Christopher G.; Scott Jennings

Here's the letter the AG sent to Sen. Pryor this week. Bill and Sara both signed off on it; I should have sent to you two as well. I think it lays out the way forward pretty clearly.

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From: Oprison, Christopher G., Friday, February 02, 2007 2:42 PM
To: Sampson, Kyle

Was Tim provided a copy of this letter or informed of it in sum and substance. If not, should he, as a courtesy? I defer to you on that

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From: Sampson, Kyle Friday, February 02, 2007 2:45 PM
To: 'Oprison, Christopher G.'
Cc: Goodling, Monica

Tim needs to be carefully managed

monica (cc'd hereto) is the one here who tim calls regularly as tim is frequently calling you also, perhaps the two of you should compare notes
monica, what say you?

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From: Goodling, Monica Friday, February 02, 2007 2:57 PM
To: Sampson, Kyle; 'Oprison, Christopher G.'
Subject: RE: E.D. Ark. - Griffin

Yes, Tim and I speak daily. It's likely to be discussed on Tuesday at the hearing, so he should know. I pondered this yesterday, but when we spoke he was spun up and I didn't think it was the best time. Yesterday's issue has now been resolved, so barring any concerns from you guys, I'll let him know today that the AG and the Senator have continued their discussions and that the AG sent the letter up as part of that dialogue. (And share it with him.)

Griffin, Sampson and Goodling have since resigned.

Griffin now stands accused of engaging in voter "caging": attempting to deny Democrats the right to vote by challenging their residency status.