Sunday, April 05, 2009
Thomas Perez
Thomas Perez, selected by President Barack Obama on March 27thto be the head of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, awaits Congressional confirmation of his appointment amid anticipation of protests from conservative groups. The position has historically been one of the most contested presidential appointments, as partisanship within the area of civil rights law is fierce. The Commission deals with the enforcement of laws protecting against discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, religion and national origin, as well as voting-rights cases, and a more minor responsibility: immigration law.
Perez, a Dominican-American lawyer and state labor secretary from Maryland, is expected to come under attack from conservatives for his liberal stance on issues ranging from affirmative action to immigration, as demonstrated by his history as a member of the board and president of CASA of Maryland, an immigration rights advocacy group.
If Perez does survive the confirmation fight and go on to be appointed, additional controversy will follow, particularly over the employees hired and policies pursued during the Bush administration. Among other allegations, a recent report from the inspector general’s office suggests that Bush administration officials sought to replace respected career lawyers working for the division with those with strong Republican views. Obama has implied that change will come, pledging to “reinvigorate federal civil rights enforcement,” most notably aiming to “rid the department of ideologues and political cronies," as well as “restore professionalism” to the division.
-Amira Elmallah
A Confirmation Fight for a Challenging Job (by Paul West, Baltimore Sun)
An Investigation of Allegations of Politicized hiring and Other Improper Personal Actions on the Civil Rights Division (Department of Justice) (PDF)
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (AllGov)
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