Bill Text: PA HR76 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: A Concurrent Resolution memorializing Congress to direct the United States Department of Justice to pursue legal redress against persons and groups who engage in voter intimidation.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 13-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-14 - Referred to STATE GOVERNMENT [HR76 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HR76-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 608
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 76 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY BARRAR, BOYD, FLECK, GEIST, KAUFFMAN, KRIEGER, METZGAR, RAPP, ROCK, SCHRODER, STERN, TALLMAN AND VULAKOVICH, FEBRUARY 14, 2011
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 14, 2011
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Memorializing Congress to direct the United States Department of
Justice to pursue legal redress against persons and groups
who engage in voter intimidation.
WHEREAS, The members of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania,
individually and on behalf of the constituents they represent,
respect and seek to protect the fundamental right to vote; and
WHEREAS, The public is entitled to the freedom to exercise
its right to vote without fear of emotional or physical harm and
protected by both the Constitution of the United States and the
Constitution of Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, There is substantial video and audio evidence to
suggest considerable and intentional voter intimidation at a
polling location within this Commonwealth by members of the New
Black Panther Party on November 4, 2008, at the Fairmount Street
polling location in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, The United States Department of Justice, acting in
conformity with the Federal Voter Rights Act, filed civil
charges against the individuals and the New Black Panther Party;
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and
WHEREAS, The Justice Department, after securing a default
judgment, substantially abandoned the matter even though the
defendants failed to appear in court; and
WHEREAS, It has been asserted by former members of the
Justice Department that the policy of the Justice Department is
to not view matters in a race-neutral manner when determining
which cases will proceed forward; and
WHEREAS, The Justice Department is reportedly failing to
uphold its obligation to the American public, especially to
those voters situated in this Commonwealth who were victims of
the members of the New Black Panther Party when it sought to
intimidate voters; and
WHEREAS, The United States Commission on Civil Rights has
initiated an investigation of the alleged improprieties and has
been prevented from receiving testimony by involved attorneys
within the Justice Department as a result of the department's
failure to cooperate with subpoenas issued by the commission;
and
WHEREAS, The Justice Department's alleged policy of failing
to pursue cases based only on the race of the defendant or the
victim, if true, is abhorrent to the members of the Pennsylvania
General Assembly, as individuals and on behalf of constituents
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, The present situation is likely to reoccur if the
alleged policy and procedures of the Justice Department are not
reviewed and revised; therefore be it
RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the House of
Representatives direct the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation
to act in any and every manner possible to review the acts of
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the Justice Department in the matter relating to voter
intimidation by persons and groups, and especially by the New
Black Panther Party; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation
introduce and support legislation which would require United
States Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr., and Assistant
Attorney General Thomas Perez to investigate this matter and
issue a report as to the reasons why, after obtaining a default
judgment, the judicial matter was substantially concluded; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation
conduct further investigation and audit of the Civil Rights
Division of the Justice Department to establish whether the
policies and procedures of the division are race neutral; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation
demand that the Justice Department comply with subpoenas issued
by the Commission on Civil Rights and allow Attorney Christopher
Coates, the former chief of the department's voting section, and
others to testify in the commission's investigation of the
Justice Department; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation urge
the Justice Department to pursue all available civil and
criminal remedies against all defendants in this matter to
resolve the outstanding issues with remain for the New Black
Panther Party voter intimidation matter.
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