Partisan Discrimination at the Election Assistance Commission
by Chris Berg
So you’ve found the right candidate for the job. He’s got a long history of exemplary service, familiarity with the subject matter that the position is responsible for, and would be an excellent addition to your office. There’s only one problem, he’s a Republican.
Sadly this isn’t a hypothetical, it actually occurred in a federal agency that was created to provide advice on fair and proper election procedures. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was created by Congress in 2002. The EAC’s purpose was to distribute grants and provide states advice on election practices. It took six years for partisanship to rear its ugly head and result in unfair discrimination against a job applicant.
In 2008 the EAC found itself in need of a General Counsel. An eminently qualified attorney applied for the position and was in fact selected for the office. Two EAC Commissioners then started looking into the candidate’s politics, and found that he was a Republican. These Commissioners then refused to approve his appointment. It’s pretty clear that Gracia Hillman was one of the Commissioners at fault. Gracia Hillman continues to serve on the EAC.
With certain narrow exceptions, the federal government has a merit hiring system which requires applicants be judged solely on their qualifications not their political preferences. The Commissioners who chose to disregard this practice did so to engage in overtly partisan politics.
A complaint was filed with the Office of the Special Counsel. After a thorough investigation the OSC announced that it “uncovered evidence indicating that the EAC illegally refused to approve the complainant’s appointment because he was a Republican.”
While the OSC was investigating this unlawful discrimination, “the EAC agreed to provide the complainant a substantial monetary settlement to resolve the issues that were the subject of his complaint.” However bureaucracies, even those newly formed, protect themselves and the EAC refused to admit fault.
This is reprehensible conduct for a government agency, especially one that focuses on our nation’s electoral system. Representative Dan Lungren of California gets it right when he states:
“This is a blatantly political and, therefore, apparently illegal case of political hiring in a government agency. The EAC’s refusal to hire the best candidate for the job, solely because he was a Republican, has left the agency without a general counsel for more than a year and now it is going to hit taxpayers who are already hurting. Gracia Hillman should resign from the EAC for bringing partisan politics into an agency that is supposed to promote fair elections.”
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43 Comments
"There’s only one problem, he’s a Republican."
Now if a couple of Republican Commissioners had even looked like they considered party affiliation……it would be the lead story for a couple of days on the LSM.
But because it's Democrats acting stupidly, not only are they allowed to refuse to acknowledge illegal activity, but they get to force the American taxpayer to fork over the 'fine' AND they continue to serve in their positions.
Someone try again to tell me this kind of crap is "just politics".
"The EAC’s purpose was to distribute grants…"
I find this statement alone objectionable. There are far too many government agencies, departments and other entities who's primary purpose is to distribute OUR money.
ELIMINATE THEM ALL AND GIVE US OUR MONEY BACK!!!
So who watches these wachters?
SOP for elitist Demercrat Socialists. They are "thankfully" overplaying their hand… The "American Street" is finally starting to smell the stench and the Demercrat Socialists are soon to get their just rewards.
The next time Republicans get control of the government, they need to pull the plug on these agencies and organization, including the EAC and NEA. Cut off all funding for them.
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And this is a surprise because….? It goes on in every venue and has for quite a while.
"Solely on their qualifications" = AFFIRMATIVE ACTION + ACORN = amateur hour at the white house < hussein, yes.
I knew it had to happen sooner or later–discrimination based on political party. I'm telling you guys, things are bad against the right now, they are just going to get uglier from here on to 2012 esp. before elections. Are we going to have to get our own civil rights amendment because the left doesn't know how NOT to be violent or hateful? Like John Lennon singing about peace love and no possesions, while beating the crap out of his kid, cheating on his wife mulitple times, and driving in his Rolls Royce. LEFTWING=HYPOCRISY
AMEN–My first thought was WHAT ARE WE DOING PAYING FOR THESE PEOPLE TO SPEND OUR FREAKING MONEY?
GO AWAY EAC, AND WHERE THE HELL'S MY MONEY?????
I keep joking and telling people I'm going to end up in the mountains of Idaho with a rifle under each arm.
I'm beginning to find the idea not to be so ludicrous.
She was nominated as the pick by Nancy Pelosi. Hardly a Republican.
CONGRESS ASKS TO SEE OBAMA'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE
http://www.thepostemail.com/2009/12/04/what-will-...
This is getting to be more absurd every day!!! Just another reason why we need someone like Sarah Palin in the White House! She got rid of the corruption in politics in Alaska…she was NOT scared of the 'good ole boy' system, she just threw them out!! That's the kind of people we need NOW!!!
For those interested in learning the Constitution please check out http://www.AmericanCitizens.org They have FREE Video training classes on the Constitution. You can also read or listen to the reading of the Constitution or download to your MP3 player. Check out the very funny video titled… Is This You? of Barney Fife trying to recite the Preamble to the Constitution. Extremely funny but a serious message that needs to be spread! Please help spread it! SEMPER FI!
Wasn't Gracia nominated to the EAC by a Republican?
The EAC is an unfortunate result from the 2000 Bush/Gore Florida election mess,
I consider myself fairly well informed on matters of Government and Politics, I have never heard of this acronym in the alphabet soup that has become Government lingo for we don't want you to know who we are, what we do and how much we spend. Elections belong to the states, with review if, necessary by SCOTUS. Enforce the 10th amendment, now!
i agree. this isn't a surprise to me, although it very much still saddens me.
Obama's administration and the Democrats are running the most corrupt government I have witnessed in my lifetime.
From all of the information we have gathered, I doubt Obama legally won his position. Bribe, cheat, steal, threaten, beat up. Anything goes with this thug-Ocracy. Anything.
this is how health care will be doled out…
I'm with you, just one state south of Idaho. I've already bought the house. I'll be leaving NJ in about a month for good. One of my first orders of business will be going to some gun show.
I'm 65 and the country I knew growing up is ebbing away. The government is out of control.
[...] Big Government has an important post up about the role of this bureaucrat in deep sixing a highly qualified nominee for a position, based solely on his political leanings: [...]
Why would it matter?
Yet another example of why we the poeple need to take back our country from these liar, cheats, conmen and thieves! Wake Up America! Bacus is just another elected offical who thinks he's bettre than the rest of us and is above the law. He needs to be kicked out of ofice an jailed for attempting to play favorites and have his girl friend given a plum political position. This is called influence pedaling. it is crime and a ethic violation. Wake Up America! All bacus is representing is his own desire to get more tail from the woman. Kick this clown out of office and take back your country! Impeach Bacus for influence pedaling!
Those moutians are gunna be crowded.
If the USA can return to "we the people" and stop being "the government almighty" then there will be far less federal agencies and more integrity in how these agencies conduct the people's business. This means our taxes will be lower. I am so sick of the democrats and some of the republicans. I am so thankful for http://www.biggovernment.com (you gotta love their name)!
To all posters here-Please go out in public and tell people the “real news.” They know things arn’t RIGHT and don’t know where to look for the real news. Most people I have spoke to have been very WELCOMING and are more than happy to checkout this website. Don’t start talking Republican/Democrat-that just gets people angry. (That is exactly what this government wants us to do/indoctrination). Ask them if they know why ACORN has been defunded. Ask them if they know global warming is a farce and the “books have been cooked.” Tell them they are NOT getting the real news from their local newspapers or public tv. And, ask them to atleast checkout this website. The MORE people that know what’s going on in our WHITEHOUSE, the MORE educated people are they can make the RIGHT decisions in 2010&2012. I have spoken to well over 200 people, hopefully they have passed on the real news. WE ALL need to do this as often as possible. Whenever you are out in public, don’t be afraid of striking up a conversation. Ignorance is NOT BLISS, KNOWLEDGE is POWER!
Would you reckon that puts us in line for a discrimination lawsuit?
bi-partisian discrimination
I don't hire Democrats either. I find it keeps my blood pressure lower not having to listen to their stupidity.
Did you read Article 1 Section 2 Where a congressional district shall consist of no more than 30,000 constituents? Why do we still have only 435 congressional districts with a citizen population of 300 million. I'm curious as to your thoughts in this.
Go to http://www.thirty-thousand.org that is how our country is returned to the people.
Brilliant!
"The EAC’s purpose was to distribute grants and provide states advice on election practices"
I find their purpose very interesting. Has anyone checked out if the EAC granted money to ACORN or provided them "advice" on election practices?
[...] Partisan Discrimination at the Election Assistance Commission So you’ve found the right candidate for the job. He’s got a long history of exemplary service, familiarity with the subject matter that the position is responsible for, and would be an excellent addition to your office. There’s only one problem, he’s a Republican. [...]
I already did, now I'm constructing solar panels and a distillation unit!
The protected 'classes' include: race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, age, health… Looks liek political affiliation should be added in the case of gov positions.
Do you think being a dem qualifies as a mental health issue…?
[...] apparently enough of the leftists at “Election Assistance Commission” think they do. So you’ve found the right candidate for the job. He’s got a long history of exemplary [...]
[...] » Partisan Discrimination at the Election Assistance Commission … [...]
[...] » Partisan Discrimination at the Election Assistance Commission … [...]
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