Bombshell: Defying DOJ Instructions, Christopher Coates Will Testify on NBP Case

Pajamas Media ^ | September 22, 2010 | Hans A. von Spakovsky

[jazusamo]

In a dramatic development that could shake the political leadership of  the Justice Department, career lawyer Christopher Coates has sent a letter to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights offering to testify Friday on matters related to the controversial New Black Panthers voter-intimidation case. Click here, or on the screen capture below to read Coates’ letter in PDF form:

Ten months ago, Coates — the award-winning former chief of the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division — was subpoenaed by the Commission to testify about the case. He was subsequently instructed by DOJ officials to ignore the subpoena.

Within the past hour, commissioners were informed that  Chairman Gerald Reynolds had spoken with Coates and that the chairman would reconvene the Commission’s ongoing hearing on Friday at 9:30 a.m. to hear Coates’s testimony.

The Civil Rights Commission has sought to obtain Coates’ testimony on Justice’s dismissal of the New Black Panther Party voter intimidation case in Philadelphia. In a recent request to Justice, the commission agreed to limit initial questioning of Coates to accusations made by former career lawyer J. Christian Adams about statements and other actions by Julie Fernandes, an Obama administration political appointee if DOJ produced Coates.

The DOJ refused.

Adams testified that Fernandes, a deputy assistant attorney general in the Civil Rights Division in charge of voting matters, told Voting Section leadership that the Obama administration would not file election-related cases against minority defendants — no matter the alleged violation of law.

Adams also testified that Fernandes said Justice would not enforce the provisions of Section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). Section 8 requires states to clean up voter registration lists on a regular basis by removing the names of ineligible voters who have died or moved away.

On Election Day 2008, two uniformed members of the New Black Panther Party — one wielding a club — were caught on video as they appeared to harass voters outside a Philadelphia polling place. The Voting Rights Section filed a civil lawsuit that the defendants did not answer, placing them in default.

However, the Justice Department dismissed virtually the entire case despite the objections of career attorneys.

Watch PJM for more on this remarkable news as it develops.

Hans A. von Spakovsky is a former career lawyer in the Civil Rights Division at the Justice Department.

[Mr. Wright]

We WILL NOT see this reported in the State-run media!

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

and get this into breaking news while your at it.

[jazusamo]

Agreed, there’s indications DOJ thought he’d trip them up from the beginning. They reassigned him to SC which is out of the subpoena jurisdiction of the USCCR and told him to ignore the original subpoena, it looks like he’s tripping them up anyway.

[Anti-Bubba182]

Kudos to Coats.

[Buckhead]

It seems highly likely this is a direct result of the the disclosure of the emails described in the privilege log obtained by Judicial Watch. Coates’ testimony has been stuck for months if not more than a year. But he comes forward only a few days after they came out. Nothing really prevented him from doing this before except obedience to his superiors.

There is no longer even a fig leaf behind which DOJ can hide, and his duty to tell the truth and uphold the law clearly trumps whatever was holding him back.

DOJ may try some super fancy legal trick to keep him from testifying, but that’s a pretty tall order at this point.

This is a huge, huge deal.

[Crawdad]

This is a huge, huge deal.

I concur.

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

All’s people want is JUSTICE at the JUSTICE Dept.

Good for this man! I hope he does not het Walpined before he can testify.

[Red Steel]

Perez, Fernandes and Holder will not be happy, Coates will likely confirm they're liars.

2011 is going to be a year of much popcorn being eaten when the Obama administration gets splayed wide-open by all the Congressional investigation.

[nothingnew]

This is a huge, huge deal.As vp joe biteme would say..."This is a big effing deal!"

FMCDH(BITS)

[TChad]

Should make for an interesting Friday. Let’s hope Coates has some integrity.

[NonValueAdded]

Nothing really prevented him from doing this before except obedience to his superiors.

Or perhaps an understanding that there is a right to executive privilege - but not to the point of covering up a crime. The difference could be that there is now evidence of a crime in public view and therefore he is free to not obey an illegal order. Just a guess.

[SunkenCiv]

...career lawyer Christopher Coates has sent a letter to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights offering to testify Friday on matters related to the controversial New Black Panthers voter-intimidation case.

Thanks jazusamo. Apropos of nothing...

• U.S. Financial Bailout Chief Resigns (Herb Allison)
• FOX NEWS ALERT: Rahm leaving WH as early as next month
• Summers to leave White House post after midterm elections
• Obama [chief economic] Adviser Summers to Depart White House at Year's End
• Obama Administration Has Been An 'Academic Exercise'

[Bulldaddy]

Agreed.

[IncPen]

Another reason for Obama and Axelrod to unleash an October surprise.

I’m gonna say... summit with Iran.

Anyone?

[South40]

Coates should stay off airplanes and hire a bodyguard lest he wants to become the next Ron Brown.

[penelopesire]

Holder still thinks he can get away with it..especially if they can get it ‘settled’ while the dems are still in control. They are trying to push the case to a conclusion before all hell breaks lose.

[anniegetyourgun]

The Commission will say thanks...but, no thanks.

[HollyB]

That may have been the case if he was part of the Holder appointed staff. But, he's not. So, I think he's probably going to do the right thing. Some one with a conscience left.

[jazusamo]

I don’t think that’s likely. There’s eight members; 2 Dems, 2 Inds and 4 Repubs and 1 Repub is Abigail Thernstrom who has said this is no big deal. The other 3 Repubs and 2 Inds (really Repubs) are going to welcome this testimony.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

the Obama administration can’t stop him from testifying though he could lose his job over it.

Or...he could get dead.