The Obama Justice Department, Craven Politics & The Failure To Recognize What Is Important

May 16, 2016 (Mimesis Law) — I admit it. I don’t much like Obama’s Justice Department, and I never have. I think Attorney General Loretta Lynch and her lame predecessor, Eric Holder, are hacks. But, even hacks can set decent priorities if their noses aren’t entirely up the butts of the political folks at the White House.

Let me give you an example. The Justice Department just sent a letter, cosigned by the Education Department, saying public schools violate the law if they don’t respect the right of children who are transsexual to use any bathroom they want plus a whole lot of other warnings (threats). See here. At the same time, the state criminal courts in many American states are a shambles. See, e.g., here.

In a perfect world, I don’t object to the federal government aggressively protecting a miniscule minority of strange kids if resources are unlimited. But we don’t live in a perfect world. Therefore, I do object to virtually ignoring the fact that thousands of poor blacks, poor whites, and poor Hispanics are constantly getting screwed by state court systems that are well-intentioned but grievously underfunded.

If the DOJ wants to go on a well-founded jihad, it is time to look the states square in the eye and tell them to adequately fund the criminal courts (and criminal defense in particular) or stinky manure will rain down on them like water. It makes a difference what battles one chooses to fight. It also tells you a lot about the man or woman at the top.

I’m done. Since I don’t smoke weed, I guess I will just drink more wine. Rant over.

Richard G. Kopf

Senior United States District Judge (Nebraska)

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