What? Why?

Charges brought against three members of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense under the Bush administration have been dropped by the Obama Justice Department.

I remember watching the news channels on election day, and they had video of these .. yes, jackbooted thugs, dressed in black uniforms, one with a baton of the type the police carry. I was wondering if he was actually going to use it on the guy that was carrying the camera recording them. They did not seem pleased to be seen there.

news story continues...
The three black panthers, Minister King Samir Shabazz, Malik Zulu Shabazz and Jerry Jackson were charged in a civil complaint in the final days of the Bush administration with violating the voter rights act by using coercion, threats and intimidation. Shabazz allegedly held a nightstick or baton that prosecutors said he pointed at people and menacingly tapped it. Prosecutors also say he "supports racially motivated violence against non-blacks and Jews."

"allegedly"? I saw it with my own two eyes. Definitely had a baton. The old Black Panther Party has distanced themselves and rejected the New Black Panther Party as a bunch of racists and hatemongers. I remember watching a documentary on them, and the hate they were spewing was vile stuff. And I thought David Duke was bad. These guys are just as bad, or worse.

The "Justice" Department says this about their decision:

"The Justice Department was successful in obtaining an injunction that prohibits the defendant who brandished a weapon outside a Philadelphia polling place from doing so again. Claims were dismissed against the other defendants based on a careful assessment of the facts and the law. The department is committed to the vigorous prosecution of those who intimidate, threaten or coerce anyone exercising his or her sacred right to vote."

Actually, he is prohibited from brandishing his weapon within 100 feet of a polling place. Outside of that 100 feet, he can intimidate and threaten people all he wants, getting out of their cars.

Here's a video of the NBPP with the "alleged" baton