WSJ: Civil Rights Subpoena

Wall Street Journal ^ | September 24, 2004 | Editorial

[OESY]

What does it take to get the attention of Mary Frances Berry? We guess we'll find out, now that the House Subcommittee on the Constitution voted Wednesday to issue a subpoena to her personal fiefdom -- aka the Commission on Civil Rights.

The subpoena is the latest step in a years-long campaign by the House and Senate Judiciary Committees to exercise their oversight authority over the Commission. Under Ms. Berry's chairmanship, the Commission has flouted the law repeatedly, declining to provide even routine information to Congress as required under the law.

Congress has good reason to be concerned. A 1997 report by the General Accounting Office described the Commission as "an agency in disarray, with limited awareness of how its resources are used." Most recently, the Commission has declined to cooperate fully with a financial audit by the GAO over its $9 million 2003 budget.

Ms. Berry's bumptiousness would be ignorable if it weren't such an abuse of taxpayer funds. When House Judiciary sent a senior staffer to speak with her recently, the chairwoman fled down the back stairs rather than have to answer uncomfortable questions about why she was refusing to produce documents.

Ms. Berry, who has reigned as chairwoman for 11 years, apparently regards the Commission as outside the rule of law....

[Drango]

bumptiousness

Say what?

[G.Mason]

"Ms. Berry's bumptiousness (unpleasantly confident) would be ignorable if it weren't such an abuse of taxpayer funds. When House Judiciary sent a senior staffer to speak with her recently, the chairwoman fled down the back stairs rather than have to answer uncomfortable questions about why she was refusing to produce documents."

Has ther been any attempt to re-visit this bumptious fool, after dismantling the back stairs?

If not, I suggest they try it.

[ClintonBeGone]

She needs to be kicked in the bumptiousness and kicked off the commission.

[G.Mason]

"She needs to be kicked in the bumptiousness and kicked off the commission."

No doubt she will be, e v e n t u a l l y.

Can you imagine being in dire straits and waiting for Congress to save you? ;)

[G.Mason]

"She needs to be kicked in the bumptiousness and kicked off the commission."

No doubt she will be, e v e n t u a l l y.

Can you imagine being in dire straits and waiting for Congress to save you? ;)

[G.Mason]

Ooops!

[Verginius Rufus]

Berry is another reason Bush has to be re-elected. Her term is about to end--she claims that it runs until a few days into the new term (based on a dubious argument--I think it is supposed to end a month or two earlier). She has been on the commission since Jimmy Carter put her there.

In 2001 her commission (supposedly equally divided between the two parties, but in fact 6 'Rats and 2 Republicans because two of the 'Rats pretended to be "independents") tried to produce evidence of black voters being prevented from voting in Florida. They couldn't come up with a single case of someone entitled to vote not being able to, but that didn't stop her from making the claim.

Of course with Kerry that has morphed into a million blacks being prevented from voting.

[woodb01]

Can you post the full text of this story? I don't have WSJ access...

It looks like a REALLY good story too...

[Dutchgirl]

Ditto to the request for the full article and a florida bump...that commie wannabe Mugabe is hated here...and if you google her name today, not a single mention of this long over due subpoena, just more lies about "millions" disenfranchised in Florida.

[Chieftain]

SECRET DEMOCRATIC PARTY PLAN FOUND!

The plan: WHEN KERRY LOSES IN FLORIDA, WE PLAY THE RACE CARD! (see 2000 strategy plan for more details)