Holder pushing hate crimes law expansion again in federal power grab

Attorney General Eric Holder is once again pushing for passage of The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009. Holder’s justification has nothing to do with Matthew Shepard, a young gay The Senate Judiciary Committee is headed by neoliberal Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) [Photo from Leahy website at US Gov.]man who died in 1998 in Wyoming. Shepard was murdered by 2 locals who agreed to give him a ride home from a bar. Shepard didn’t know the two men were, as one claimed, on a “hard-core bender” from methamphetamines. Widely billed as a hate crime against gays, the two killers told ABC news they were actually after money and drugs, not hatred for gays. Media used the case as a rallying cry for gay rights.

In testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Holder said hate crimes against “certain groups” like Hispanics are on the rise.

That stands to reason, however, based on Census figures. According to a US Census Bureau news release in 2006, “Hispanics accounted for almost half (1.3 million, or 49 percent) of the national population growth of 2.8 million between July 1, 2004, and July 1, 2005.” There is no way of knowing the socio-cultural breakdown of such a large group. While immigrants come to the US as economic refugees, some immigrants come via drug cartels and weapons smuggling groups.

But Holder also admitted hate crimes are not getting worse.

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HR 1913 will spend millions for an unconstitutional law

Technically, HR 1913 will provide Federal assistance to States, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes, and for other purposes. Sounds so simple. But this legislation will not only expand existing assaults on freedom of speech, it will also cost a bundle and further intrude the federal government into local and state jurisdictions. While the law does stipulate federal assistance will be provided “at the request of a State, local, or tribal law enforcement agency,” the language is troublesome and the costs will certainly grow beyond the $10 million estimated by the Congressional Budget Office for 2010.

The bill panders to advocacy groups and community groups with the fiscal tool every politician loves—federal grants. HR 1913 says, “In implementing the grant program under this subsection, the Office of Justice Programs shall work closely with grantees to ensure that the concerns and needs of all affected parties, including community groups and schools, colleges, and universities, are addressed through the local infrastructure developed under the grants.”

And the way the bill is worded, almost any violent crime could fit the provisions of HR 1913 governing “offenses involving actual or perceived religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.”

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