Bush defangs civil rights panel

USA Today ^ | Dec. 11 2001 | DeWayne Wickham

[laurav]

The Bush administration is trying to run roughshod over this country's only independent federal civil-rights agency.

In a late-night ceremony last week, the White House had a judge swear in Peter Kirsanow as a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, which earlier this year chastised Gov. Jeb Bush, the president's brother, and Katherine Harris, the secretary of state, for their role in last year's election debacle in Florida.

[knak]

I suppose they want him to appoint a black, democratic, disabled, lesbian mother of adopted children?

[alnick]

Notice that the article make many insuitations, but still does not deal with the fact that the CLINTON administration set the deadline.

Don't you know that deadlines don't apply to 'rats?

[Southack]

"From 1978 to 1980, Wickham took a sabbatical from his journalism career and worked as a special assistant to Dr. Mary Frances Berry, who ran federal education programs in the Carter administration before the creation of the Department of Education."

Nice find.

[Senator_Blutarski]

This Wickham character should take some deep breaths and 5 mg of Valium.

I read another Wickham column a few weeks ago. The guy certainly doesn't hide his bias, nor does he confuse us with any facts. All that's missing here is a reference to the Byrd pickup truck dragging death.

Personally, I'd up the dosage to 15 mg of Valium.

[4CJ]

I agree. But SCOTUS has ruled that the President can remove any appointed official, even when the Senate advised the appointment/confirmation. Even Former Preident Taft (and Chief Justice) agreed in 1926.

[gridlock]

Published: Dec. 11 2001 Author: DeWayne Wickham

DeWayne? Does that mean "of Wayne" in French, or what? Wait a minute, that would be de Wayne, wouldn't it?

So, what's the deal, is this guy from Detroit?

Also, is it demeaning to refer to African Americans as "Black folk", as DeWayne does in his commentary?

Enquiring Minds Want To Know!

[Southack]

"when the commission was set up it was spelled out in its creation that the President would appoint half and congress would appoint half and that no party was to have a majority. If you can dig up the original bill creating this commission and show where it says that the President is to appoint ALL of the members I will stand corrected."

It's not the original bill that says that Presidents get to make all appointments, but rather Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution that states that point...

[centurion316]

From Mr. Wickham's bio at USA Today (The prosecution rests) During the course of his journalism career, which began in 1973, Wickham has worked as an analyst for CBS News, a reporter for both The Evening Sun and The Sun, of Baltimore; as a Capitol Hill correspondent for U.S. News And World Report and as a contributing editor for Black Enterprise magazine. From 1978 to 1980, Wickham took a sabbatical from his journalism career and worked as a special assistant to Dr. Mary Frances Berry, who ran federal education programs in the Carter administration before the creation of the Department of Education.

[d14truth]

DeWayne Wickham bio

Want to complete the record---

"From 1978 to 1980, Wickham took a sabbatical from his journalism career and worked as a special assistant to Dr. Mary Frances Berry, who ran federal education programs in the Carter administration before the creation of the Department of Education."

Mary Frances Berry??? -- That name rings a bell. {;~)

[gridlock]

I suppose they want him to appoint a black, democratic, disabled, lesbian mother of adopted children?

As long as she is a conservative and a strict Constitutional constructionist, I would have no problem with that.

[Saundra Duffy]

I'd like to "de-fang" the writer of this stupid article. For victory & freedom!!!

[deport]

Yes, you are correct and said it better than I did...

[lepton]

If he is seated, the commission will be evenly split between Democratic and Republican-leaning members. Recipe for gridlock

As I recall, the rules say that no more than 4 members can be from any party...only through legerdemain did Clinton arrive at an effective 6-2 majority. The Author also seems to have forgotten that despite the report put pout, and the circus that the Dem Majority conducted, they were not able to actually find any evidence that there was any state interference with the right to vote.

[Publius6961]

How many different ways can one say "progressive" drivel?

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I sent email to: editor@usatoday.com

Here's another little gem from this guy's bio:

In February 1999, Wickham traveled to Cuba and had a 6-hour dinner meeting with Fidel Castro. A year later he returned to Cuba and met with Cuban people to gauge the impact of the U.S. embargo.

[kcvl]

Way to go digging out the TRUTH! That is hilarious! Not biased at all, huh? I wonder why USA Today didn't disclose this little tidbit for their readers to get the WHOLE PICTURE?!

[MinuteGal]

Thanks, Daughter. A pithy email is on its way to USA Today!

Leni

[Chipper]

This guy is such an idiot as it is. I remember a couple of years ago he was writing an article about the 4th of July and pulled a quote from the preamble of the Constitution and said it was from the Declaration of Independence.

[d14truth]

The Wickham bio is a 'nice find'. It's always so nice to see so many 'defenders of the faith' among those who would keep only a 'certain kind of church' away from the state. < /sarcasm>

[katze]

"What he shouldn't do is attempt to bully the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights into submission." From the biased Wickham

Better to let MF Berry bully the president and entire country? Get real, DeWayne.