Ranking House Judicary Democrat John Conyers today called for an investigation by the non-partisan Government Accountability Office into allegations that the Bush Justice Department suppressed a study indicating racial profiling, RAW STORY has learned.
"Based on what I have learned about the treatment of Mr. Greenfeld, I am calling for an independent review by the GAO," Conyers said in a statement. "It is totally unacceptable for the Justice Department to politicize statistical releases and demote individuals merely because they were seeking to provide accurate summaries of statistical information regarding racial profiling. We need to review the Department's treatment of Mr. Greenfeld as well as all aspects of the accuracy and completeness of the traffic stops study."
Conyers's demand comes after a New York Times report focusing the director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics Lawrence Greenfield, which said Greenfeld "was ordered to delete references to racial disparities in a news release prepared to announce a study on the treatment of different ethnic groups during police traffic stops," the Washington Post reported today.
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"The results of this study and DOJ's 2001 analysis of police contact data provide important evidence of continuing bias against minorities by law enforcement officers. In fact, the 2001 study was cited in the findings section of my legislation, the End Racial Profiling Act," he continued. "If this report was influenced by political pressure, this is a serious indictment of the administration's approach to improving law enforcement practices. Moreover, the apparent attempt to quash the report is inconsistent with the President's stated commitment to end racial profiling, made in his first state of the union speech."
"Racial profiling is an insidious practice that undermines law enforcement by antagonizing minority communities," he added. "However, in light of the recent terrorist violence in London, some members of law enforcement have openly advocated racial/ethnic profiling as a method of uncovering terrorist sleeper cells. We must stand against this unconstitutional practice and focus on the conduct or behavior of individuals, rather than making an entire community suspect."
