Six Democratic members of the House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, Hon. John Conyers, Jr., Hon Robert C. Scott, Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee, Hon. Jerold Nadler, Hon. Melvin Watt, and Hon. Linda Sanchez wrote a letter dated April 25, 2005 to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales regarding "credible and troubling reports of police misconduct and perjury in connection with the arrests and prosecution of demonstrators at last year's Republican National Convention in New York City." They called for "immediate federal scrutiny by the Justice Department" of possible "criminal deprivations of rights under color of law and civil violations of the police pattern and practice laws." A copy of the letter is attached.
Boyd e-mails to highlight (from Boston's IMC) CE Campbell's "
Last night, the National Voting Rights Institute and Lesley University hosted Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. to speak to the issue of a constitutional right to vote for all US citizens. Speaking to a packed audience at the Marran Theater, Congressman Jackson made it abundantly clear that there is no specific guarantee providing the right to vote under the US Constitution, and so he has filed House Joint Resolution 28 to remedy this.
BOSTON -- Last night, the National Voting Rights Institute and Lesley University hosted Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. to speak to the issue of a constitutional right to vote for all US citizens. Speaking to a packed audience at the Marran Theater, Congressman Jackson made it abundantly clear that there is no specific guarantee providing the right to vote under the US Constitution, and so he has filed House Joint Resolution 28 to remedy this. The 15th, 19th, and 26th Amendments provide protection against discrimination on the basis of race, sex, and age respectively. But with regard to national elections it is the 10th Amendment that provides for states, not the federal government, to determine the right to vote and how elections may be conducted. Since national elections are shaped by a state's rights system, Congress does not have the authority to define entitlements of suffrage or impose election procedures. Some states do not allow convicted felons to vote until their time is served, while others prohibit voting for life. States like Vermont and Maine allow felons to vote while in prison. The methods of marking, casting and counting votes varies widely from state to state, and within states themselves. "Voting in America is overseen by 13,000 different election administrations, all separate and unequal," Congressman Jackson states. Legislation like the Help America Vote Act of 2002 cannot contend with many of the irregularities and problems plaguing US elections for this reason. By implication, the current Carter - Baker Election Commission will serve more as a facade of official inquiry than affect true reform.
A Constitutional amendment will "provide Congress with the authority to craft a unitary voting system that is inclusive of all Americans and guarantees that all votes will be counted in a complete, fair and efficient manner," Jackson also states. Fighting to shift power away from state and local governments will likely be met with significant resistance. While such an amendment may help to curb practices that disenfranchise voters, it could also have severe consequences for how elections are conducted and certified. When asked what voting methods he preferred, Congressman Jackson said the simple answer is that he does not have one. His issue, he said, is fighting for this Constitutional provision to vote, because all other questions about voting must follow from this. By what methods and technologies an election is conducted is a matter of heated debate, with advocates for total computer voting at odds with those who fight to preserve paper ballots counted by hand. The passing of House Joint Resolution 28 and its impact remain to be seen.
[Article is noted to be in the public domain and I'm unsure where to cut, so it's posted in full.]
We'll round out the indymedia by noting Natalie's highlight of Luke's (
wotisitgood4) "bigtime purge:"* fauxnews is still pushing the ms13 gang story - 'they are categorised with alqaida'
* idiot leeden: " instead of expanding (CIA) personnel -- as the president requested and Congress obliged after the terrorist attacks three and a half years ago, and as the president again requested and Congress again obliged following the dreadful recommendations of the 9/11 Commission just before last year’s elections -- we should drastically reduce manpower, and then, if necessary, slowly rebuild... The intelligence community needs a big-time purge" LINK now, ive long argued that we'd all be a lot better off if the entire intelligence community was thrown on the scrap-heap - but we know what will happen if we follow leedens advice - goss would simply get rid of all the christian westermanns and leave the osp. good heavens. heil to the Executive.
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