Our friends on the Civil Rights Commission staged a protest today:

Civil Rights Commissioners Leave Meeting in Protest
Today, four commissioners of the U.S. Commission on
Civil Rights walked out of their monthly meeting in
protest after Chairperson Mary Frances Berry refused
to allow a discussion of the staff director’s
unauthorized attempt to reorganize the agency.
The protesting commissioners issued the following
statements:
“We were blind-sided by the staff director’s improper
action,” said Commissioner Peter N. Kirsanow.
“In leaving we missed an important discussion of
voting rights and election reform. We meant no
disrespect to the topic or the panelists. But, we
could not tolerate chairperson Berry’s anti-democratic
refusal to allow discussion of this vital policy and
personnel matter. This is yet another example of the
Commission’s dysfunction, which is well-documented by
responsible entities such as the General Accounting
Office as recently as October 2003,” said Commissioner
Abigail Thernstrom.
“In the last three months, in none of our detailed
discussions about project plans and proposals, did the
staff director ever hint at the need for a staff
reduction or in any way suggest he was preparing a
reorganization plan to submit to the Office of
Personnel Management. His attempt at an unauthorized
reorganization goes to the heart of the commission’s
ability to fulfill its statutory as well as ethical
obligations. It could adversely affect the
hardworking career staff of the commission. Moreover,
it could jeopardize the timely completion of key
projects on topics such as the Evaluation of the Bush
Administration’s Civil Rights Record, Education
Accountability, and other future commission reports,”
added Commissioner Russell G. Redenbaugh.
“The Commission must be reformed, but today we have no
confidence that it can reform itself,” concluded
Commissioner Jennifer C. Braceras.