In yet another example of Eric Holder gone wild, the top law enforcement officer in the nation will join members of the Congressional Black Caucus, IRS officials, ACLU attorneys and clergy from the Council of National Black Churches "to discuss ideas to combat the wave of new voter ID laws existing around the country."

Can anyone imagine a Republican Attorney General of the United States counseling white churches on voting rights?

CBC Chairman Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) said the May 30 summit will advise hundreds of pastors from nine different denominations on the best way to educate their parishioners on the new rules. 

We will have attorneys there who are well-equipped to provide the guidance to the clergy members.

They will understand, before they leave, about some of the new laws in certain states designed - as we interpret them - to reduce the turnout. The day is over when they could just stand in the pulpit and say 'Go vote. It's your duty.' They've got to now be equipped with some sophisticated information to help inspire a turnout and protect parishioners from some of the schemes that are out there.

The attack on voting rights is not only coordinated, it is dangerous and it is the worst we've seen since Jim Crow.

Given the immense challenge before us, the CBC has decided to take this matter into our own hands and this time we are working with the Black Church, which has diligently served our community for over 200 years fighting for freedom, justice, and equality when African Americans had nowhere else to turn".

AG Holder will be the keynote speaker at the all-day conference on Wednesday. Here are some of the topics on the schedule: 

The Problem: State of Voting Rights in the USA

Nicole Austin-Hillery, Director and Counsel, Brennan Center for Justice NYU School of Law

Marcia Johnson-Blanco, Co-Director, Voting Rights Project, Lawyers Committee

Deborah J. Vagins, Senior Legislative Counsel, ACLU

Protecting Your Tax Exempt Status: Conversation with IRS

 

2:00 PM

"Protecting Your Tax Exempt Status" Conversation with IRS Q&A

IRS Commissioner Douglas H. Shulman

IRS Religious Activities

 

Voting Rights Call to Action

Moderator: The Honorable Marcia Fudge, 11th District Ohio

Cindy Smalls, Voter Protection Manager, AFL-CIO

Jamie Harrison, Principal, Podesta Group

Adwoa Ansah, President and CEO, Faith Link

Rev Tony Lee, Pastor, Community of Hope

Jeff Johnson, Political Analyst, MSNBC

IRS Northeast Area Manager, Peter Lorenzetti

During a House subcommittee hearing last spring Rep. John Culberson of Texas accused Holder of refusing to prosecute members of the Black Panther Party. The AG took offense insisting "his Department of Justice does not enforce the law in a race-conscious way."

Is helping black pastors to get the vote out -- all on the taxpayer's dime I might add -- not being "race conscious?" And how about that pesky separation of church and state violation?

Read more M. Catharine Evans at Potter Williams Report