Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Bush Civil Rights Appointee Sworn in
AP ^ | 12/07/01 | Will Lester

Posted on 12/07/2001 6:20:23 AM PST by Dane

Friday December 7 9:36 AM ET

Bush Civil Rights Appointee Sworn in

By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush (news - web sites)'s appointee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights was sworn in at the White House, but the commission chairwoman says there's no room at the table.

Cleveland lawyer Peter Kirsanow was sworn in Thursday night, in time for the panel's regular monthly meeting on Friday. A District of Columbia judge swore in Kirsanow with Bush's top lawyer, Alberto Gonzales, looking on.

Chairwoman Mary Frances Berry says the disputed seat on the commission ``ought to be resolved in the courts.'' She planned to hold the meeting without seating Kirsanow.

Kirsanow, accompanied by three lawyers, arrived 30 minutes before the commission's scheduled starting time and took a seat with others in the audience. The nameplate of Victoria Wilson, who has held the seat to which Kirsanow was appointed, was still at the U-shaped table where commissioners sit.

White House moves to force Bush's appointee onto the commission were ``about muzzling us and it's scary to have them take all of this time and energy,'' Berry said. ``It makes me even more afraid for the preservation of the commission.''

The dispute between the Republican White House and a prominent black civil rights leader surprised the Bush team.

Berry says the term of the commissioner Bush wants to replace has not expired.

By taking the disputed seat held by Wilson, Kirsanow, a member of the largely conservative Center for New Black Leadership, would effectively rein in Berry's power over the commission.

Berry - a frequent critic of the 2000 elections and particularly of Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, younger brother of the president - presides over a panel on which six commissioners lean Democratic and two lean Republican. The White House has already announced it plans to appoint Jennifer Cabranes Braceras to replace, Yvonne Lee, whose term is expiring in early December. If Kirsanow is seated, the commission would be split 4-4.

Wilson, an independent, often sides with Berry. She was appointed in January 2000 to replace Judge A. Leon Higginbotham Jr., who died in 1998.

The Bush administration maintains Wilson's term ended Nov. 29, at the time Higginbotham's term would have expired, and that this expiration date was spelled out in the Clinton administration's paperwork on Wilson's appointment.

Berry argued the documents are wrong and are trumped by federal law, which says new commissioners will fill a six-year term.

Democratic Reps. John Conyers of Michigan and Jerrold Nadler of New York wrote Berry on Thursday to say the law as amended in 1994 reflects her interpretation.

The commission received a letter from the Justice Department (news - web sites) late Thursday informing Berry that she is not allowed to retain outside legal help without Attorney General John Ashcroft (news - web sites)'s permission. Berry rejected that opinion.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: civilrights; kirsanow
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-52 next last
Mary Frances Berry basically saying to Mr. Kirsanow,

"Mr. Kirsanow you, give up your seat to Ms. Wilson, you belong in the back of the bus"

1 posted on 12/07/2001 6:20:23 AM PST by Dane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Dane
Would she be bitchin if this were a LIBERAL appointee?
2 posted on 12/07/2001 6:23:49 AM PST by NC Conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NC Conservative
Or black?
3 posted on 12/07/2001 6:25:48 AM PST by RedBloodedAmerican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Dane
No article with Nadler in it can go without a picture.


4 posted on 12/07/2001 6:26:09 AM PST by NC Conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #5 Removed by Moderator

To: Miss Marple; Howlin; Irma
And the beat goes on......
6 posted on 12/07/2001 6:26:24 AM PST by deport
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dane
It's no surprise that so many liberals now want to take every dispute to the courts, now that they've packed most of the courts with judicial activist Democrats.

Mr. Kirsanow should walk in there with federal marshals at his side and a letter from the President addressed to Ms. Berry, indicating that if she insists upon not seating Mr. Kirsanow, that she has the option of resigning in protest, such resignation the President would gladly accept.

7 posted on 12/07/2001 6:27:22 AM PST by tdadams
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RedBloodedAmerican
He is black.
8 posted on 12/07/2001 6:27:45 AM PST by StriperSniper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: RedBloodedAmerican
"Or black? "

He is black... and conservative. Horrors!

9 posted on 12/07/2001 6:29:50 AM PST by tdadams
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: NC Conservative
Man, it's just too early to see that ugly mug!
10 posted on 12/07/2001 6:30:01 AM PST by Constitution Day
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: RedBloodedAmerican
The appointee is black. And the one being replaced is white. LibBlackDems care FAR more about politics than race (they're so color-blind that way)
11 posted on 12/07/2001 6:31:36 AM PST by IMRight
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Dane
I think the Civil Rights Commission should be disbanded, defunded, it's racist and doesn't serve it's function like 90% of the other agencies in D.C.
12 posted on 12/07/2001 6:32:40 AM PST by MissAmericanPie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All
I WAS BEING SARCASTIC!
Sheese...
13 posted on 12/07/2001 6:33:59 AM PST by RedBloodedAmerican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Dane
This woman's arrogance surpasses even Hillary Clinton, IMHO. I didn't think that was possible!
14 posted on 12/07/2001 6:38:19 AM PST by TexanaRED
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dane
Kirsanow, accompanied by three lawyers, arrived 30 minutes before the commission's scheduled starting time and took a seat with others in the audience.

He went to the meeting and sat in the audience?

I guess it's a smart move but I hoping for fireworks - you know Fed Marshall's dragging Wilson out of her chair kicking and screaming with Berry throwing the mother of all temper tantrums.

I just wonder how long it will take to fight it out in court. And what's up with this 1994 amended law? That's a new twist.

15 posted on 12/07/2001 6:38:54 AM PST by NEPA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dane
"Democratic Reps. John Conyers of Michigan and Jerrold Nadler of New York wrote Berry on Thursday to say the law as amended in 1994 reflects her interpretation. "

The CANNOT be true. Other wise, at the end of a presidents term, he could have his appointees resign and then he could appoint them again and effectively extend their terms beyond his replacements term. Now, I'm sure the demorats would agree with this while a demorat was in office but oppose it when a republican was. True?

16 posted on 12/07/2001 6:42:25 AM PST by cb
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RedBloodedAmerican
Mary Frances Berry is color blind when it suits her. Of course to her Peter Kirsanow isn't black he's an Uncle Tom. That's worse than having a white liberal women on the commission. Its not about race its about defending the liberal majority on it tooth and nail. And with the amens from John Conyers and Jerrold Nadler the Rats view it as too good a thing to give. Berry's decided the holidays are a perfect opportunity to wage jihad on G.W and put him in his place. Only Rats care about civil rights you know and we can't have blacks thinking that maybe conservatives aren't as eeevil as they've been painted to be. To Berry that's absolutely unacceptable and worth a showdown with the President.
17 posted on 12/07/2001 6:42:44 AM PST by goldstategop
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Dane
Democratic Reps. John Conyers of Michigan and Jerrold Nadler of New York wrote Berry on Thursday to say the law as amended in 1994 reflects her interpretation.

.

What 1994 law? Can anyone find this out?

18 posted on 12/07/2001 6:45:30 AM PST by rface
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dane
Why the hell do we still need this commission, anyway? They're useless. Why can't Bush The Conservative just disband the jolly bunch?

"Compassionate" or not, get rid of the dead weight, man!

:/ ttt

19 posted on 12/07/2001 6:46:03 AM PST by detsaoT
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NC Conservative
Wilson, an independent, often sides with Berry. She was appointed in January 2000 to replace Judge A. Leon Higginbotham Jr., who died in 1998.

Independent, my white Southern butt. Neither is Berry.

Ms. Victoria Wilson works for Knopf Publishing. Guess who is publishing Clinton's book?

The paperword Bill Clinton filed when HE appointed Ms. Wilson says her term expires in November of 2001.

20 posted on 12/07/2001 6:47:45 AM PST by Howlin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-52 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson