Judicial Watch obtains emails contradicting Justice Dept. official’s sworn testimony about New Black Panther case

[Geee]

Washington Examiner:


Through a Freedom of Information Act request, Judicial Watch has obtained Justice Department emails that seem to contradict sworn testimony by Thomas Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. In testimony before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Perez asserted that none of Justice’s political leadership had anything to do with the in the decision to stop pursuing voter intimidation charges against the New Black Panthers seen standing in front of a polling place in Philadelphia brandishing weapons during the 2008 election.

The new documents include a series of emails between two political appointees: former Democratic election lawyer and current Deputy Associate Attorney General Sam Hirsch and Associate Attorney General Thomas Perrelli. Both DOJ officials were involved in detailed discussions regarding the NBPP decision. For example, in one April 30, 2009, email from Hirsch to Perrelli, with the subject title “Fw: New Black Panther Party Update,” Hirsch writes:

Tom,

I need to discuss this with you tomorrow morning. I’ll send you another email on this shortly.

If you want to discuss it this evening, please let me know which number to call and when.