Marathon Pundit: Group wants explanation on why Black Panthers voter intimidation case was dropped

On Election Day last year, a group of New Black Panthers, including one wielding a night stick, "monitored" a polling place in Philadelphia.

In June, the US Justice Department dismissed a complaint against the group, stating "the facts and the law did not support" the accusations, and came after a "careful and thorough review by Acting Assistant Attorney General Loretta King."

The Washington Times is reporting that the story isn't in the rear-view mirror just yet.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is expected to approve Friday the sending of a second letter to the Justice Department, asking it to justify its decision in May to drop charges against members of the New Black Panther Party accused of intimidating voters at a Philadelphia polling place in the November election.

Martin Dannenfelser, staff director, said a majority of the commissioners were not satisfied with a response by the department to a June 16 letter, in which the commission said the decision to drop the case had caused it "great confusion" since the NBPP members were "caught on video blocking access to the polls, and physically threatening and verbally harassing voters."

That letter said that even after a federal judge ruled that the department had won the case since the NBPP members failed to appear it court, it "took the unusual move of voluntarily dismissing the charges," which, it said, sent "the wrong message entirely - that attempts at voter suppression will be tolerated and will not be vigorously prosecuted so long as the groups or individuals who engage in them fail to respond to the charges."

Mr. Dannenfelser said the commission, an independent fact-finding body, could hold hearings on its own in the case and call witnesses to testify, or it could conduct its own inquiry and make referrals for action to the federal government.