New White House Picks (Almost) Rebalance Civil Rights Commission

[babylonsister]

New White House Picks (Almost) Rebalance Civil Rights Commission
Ryan J. Reilly | January 27, 2011, 11:45AM


President Barack Obama on Wednesday appointed two new commissioners to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, a federal agency best know recently for its partisan focus on investigating the New Black Panther Party voter intimidation case. The White House's move will rebalance what was intended to be a bipartisan panel which came under conservative control thanks to a move during the Bush administration to "game" the system.

Obama's appointees to the Commission are Roberta Achtenberg, a former Clinton administration official and a co-founder of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Marty R. Castro, the president of a strategic planning company who chairs the Illinois Human Rights Commission and sits on several human rights organizations.

Achtenberg was the first openly gay federal public official whose appointment was confirmed by the United States Senate. Former Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) famously referred to Achtenberg as "a damn lesbian" before her confirmation.

Right now, the balance on the commission is three Democratic appointees versus four essentially Republican appointees (two of whom are actually "independents"), with another position unfilled. Once House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) formally reappoints Commissioner Michael Yaki, the even balance will be restored. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) sent Yaki's papers to Boehner's office in early January, but Boehner's office didn't immediately say when Yaki would be reappointed.

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http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/new_white_house_picks_almost_rebalance_civil_rights_commission.php

[TheWraith]

1. Kicked and recommended. nt