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Good Government Advocates Press To Place Judicial
Accountability On The Agenda Of 2008 Presidential Candidates
Crown Point, IN (PRWEB)
August 20, 2007 -- Rice University of Houston, Texas was the site of
what may turn out to be one of the most important civil rights and
constitutional liberties conferences in recent history. On August
11, 2007, National Judicial Conduct and Disability Law Project, Inc.
(NJCDLP) hosted a free conference at the prestigious university
campus to solidify a national grassroots movement for important
judicial reforms. The conference title asks the rhetorical question
"Silencing of the Lambs?", prompting consideration of whether
average Americans truly have a say about the quality of justice
dispensed by American courts. Zena Crenshaw, NJCDLP Executive
Director, explained that "we begin our analysis with a consideration
of how effective average Americans seem to be in holding the
gatekeepers of justice accountable for their conduct."
Attending the NJCDLP conference were
many good government advocates representing more than a dozen states
- Texas, Maryland, Illinois,
Indiana, California,
Arkansas, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Minnesota,
Virginia, District of Columbia,
Florida, New Mexico, and Georgia. The
gathering summoned the spirit of Washington Whistleblower Week (WWW)
which brought scores of activists to Washington, D. C. to protest
government waste, fraud, and abuse in May 2007. While strengthening
and expanding federal legislation was a key focus of WWW, its participants largely understood that law breakers essentially act
with impunity when legal processes and courts are not affordable,
reasonably prompt, and fair.
Sheriffs, prosecutors, and judges
tacitly aligned to deny the civil and constitutional rights of
Blacks among others, even at the height of America's civil rights
movement. Attending the NJCDLP conference in Houston were
Louisiana's infamous "Jena 6" as well as poor and minority residents
of Abilene, Texas who could relate to that
problem and saw through conference presentations its potential link
to inadequate judicial accountability. Crenshaw reminded the
audience that "the halls of justice are supposed to be open in
America", noting the "large number of dollars and supporters it
(otherwise) takes to access justice when your name is not Scooter
Libby." Marcel Reid, a NJCDLP conference presenter and President of
the D. C. chapter for ACORN (Association of Community Organizations
for Reform Now) added "if there is no justice for the least of us,
then there is no justice for the rest of us - Without Justice for
All there will be Justice for None." ACORN is the nation's largest
community organization of low and moderate income families with over
350,000 member families.
The appointments of Supreme Court
Justices Roberts and Alito and recent controversial High Court
decisions assure that America's judiciary will be on the agenda of
2008 Presidential candidates. NJCDLP and most who convened with the
organization in Houston seek to ensure that appropriate judicial
reform and accountability are part of the Presidential debate.
Attorney Michael R. McCray, chairman of "The 3.5.7 Commission",
confirmed that "an unaccountable and unassailable judiciary is a
serious threat to democracy and can literally destroy the American
way of life." His newly formed private commission will examine the
propriety of summary judgments entered against federal employees
under Title VII, the Civil Rights Act of
1964, and certain employees seeking relief under the False Claims
Act.
Matthew F. Fogg, a high profile
government whistleblower presenting at the NJCDLP conference, lauded
the event and WWW for uniting patriots who fearlessly combat
government corruption. Fogg referenced impending federal
legislation, initiated by the D. C. based
No FEAR Coalition
which he
co-chairs. No FEAR II would amend the Notification and Federal
Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 and is
presently co-sponsored by U. S. Representatives Sheila Jackson Lee
(D-Tx), Albert Wynn (D-Md), and John Lewis (D-Ga). According to Fogg,
"No FEAR II closes loopholes hindering enforcement of various
antidiscrimination and government whistleblower protection laws." It
also harkens to a concern expressed by famed civil rights activist
Thomas N. Todd at the NJCDLP conference.
Attorney Thomas N. Todd, widely known
for his dynamic oratorical skills as TNT, personally called on House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers,
Jr. (D-Mich) to move towards federalizing the regulation of speech
among lawyers. In an explosive pre-recorded interview, Todd calls
for a complete overhaul of professional disciplinary rules
purporting to preserve the sanctity of
America's judiciary. He projects that
in some communities, lawyers are likely unwilling to accept cases
that may place them in "bad standing with the judiciary". This
"chilling effect" on a right as fundamental and critical as free
speech, particularly troubles Todd when lawyers are called in 2007
to represent "very, very unpopular clients, just as they did in the
South". Noting the "consistent" concern about equity and justice of
Chairman John Conyers, Todd envisions that relevant hearings before
the House Judiciary Committee may lead to a "national (lawyers')
commission with one standard" for free speech.
Others riveting the NJCDLP audience at Rice University included attorney
Mark A. Adams of Florida; attorney Dale Nathan of Minnesota; Dr.
LeRoy Gillam, national president of Southeastern Christian
Association; school reform activist Peyton Wolcott; NJCDLP director
Thomas Saunders; and attorney Caroline Douglas. Keynote remarks were
made by the stately, 2006 congressional candidate Byron De Lear.
"Coming from all walks of life and from a diverse set of political
affiliations, we all see and feel the urgent necessity for a more
representative and fair justice system supporting the principles of
equal protection under the law and equality for all" says De Lear.
Participants left the NJCDLP
conference, committed to pursue their lofty ideals through
practical, effective action. Rodney Logal, a NJCDLP board member and
primary benefactor, emphasized that "meaningful government reform
will likely come on a grassroots basis through the small financial
contributions of many if it is to be afforded at all." Echoing that
sentiment and other tenets of grassroots activism, NJCDLP Project
Coordinator Andrew D. Jackson announced the formation of "You Can
Count On Me". This new commercial venture of NJCDLP is a
professionally administered network of organizations and
individuals, pledged to provide each other a manageable level of
simple, but vital support.
NJCDLP is a nonprofit, grassroots organization combating abuses of
the American legal system that are facilitated by judicial
misconduct. NJCDLP is also a member of the No FEAR and Make It Safe
coalitions which advocate for federal workers, including Title VII
claimants and government whistleblowers. For more info on the NJCDLP
conference at Rice University, please visit
http://www.njcdlp.org/Conference_Recap.html
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