Justice Dept Lawyer claims Racial Injustice
Christopher Coates, a veteran Justice Department lawyer gave testimony before the U.S. Civil Rights Commission yesterday accusing his agency of being bias when it comes to protecting the rights of white voters.
The allegations have become a major political headache for the Obama administration. Coates testimony was the latest fallout from the Justice Department’s handling of a 2008 voter intimidation case in Philly. The agency eventually dropped the case against two members of the New Black Panther Party, one of whom allegedly stood in front of a polling place with a nightstick in an effort to discourage some people from voting. Coates cited the case as an example of the agency’s unwillingness to pursue racial discrimination cases on behalf of white voters.
