The U.S. Senate recently voted to block the nomination of Debo Adegbile.
President Barack Obama nominated Adegbile to lead the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. This is the same Adegbile, while head of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, that voluntarily assisted a convicted cop killer, Mumia Abu-Jamal, get his death sentence overturned.
Daniel Faulkner was a Philadelphia police officer that was brutally murdered by Jamal on Dec. 9, 1981. Faulkner had stopped Jamal’s brother when Jamal came and shot the officer in the back. As Faulkner fell to the ground Jamal stood over top of him firing four times into his upper body, one of those, the fatal round, directly in the officer’s face.
Mumia Abu-Jamal. Photo Credit: Philly.com
Jamal made two unprovoked statements at the hospital the night of the incident confessing to the shooting. In this case there were many eyewitnesses that identified Jamal as Officer Faulkner’s murderer. Jamal received a fair trial, was convicted and received the death penalty. However, it seems that Debo Adegbile felt that it was in the best interest of the NAACP to fight against justice being served by the execution of a cop killer.
The U.S. Senate stood up to Obama and his open contempt for law enforcement by blocking Adegbile’s nomination.
After Adegbile’s nomination was blocked, Obama had the audacity to state, “those who voted against his nomination denied the American people an outstanding public servant.”
President Obama, what about Officer Faulkner?
The American people, specifically those in Philadelphia, were denied an outstanding public servant. Mr. Adebile voluntarily chose to align himself with a cop killer and because of his actions the public will now have to pay to house, clothe, feed and provide medical care until Jamal dies of natural causes.
This situation is just one example of Obama’s disdain for law enforcement. President Obama refuses to replace Attorney General Eric Holder, who in 2012 was held in contempt of Congress. This was after President Obama asserted executive privilege to seal a number of documents related to the ill-fated operation Fast and Furious. Lest we not forget, a weapon that the ATF lost in this operation, that Holder and Obama continue to cover up, was used to kill Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.
Daniel Faulkner. Photo Credit: Philly.com
In 2011 the Obama’s invited the rapper Common to the White House for a poetry reading. Common has been a supporter of Mumia Abu-Jamal as well as another convicted cop killer, Assata Shakur. Shakur was convicted in 1973 of murdering New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster. Shakur escaped prison and fled to Cuba.
The invitation Common received to come to the White House coincided with National Police Week. The one week out of the year that we remember law enforcement officers that made the ultimate sacrifice. Instead of being a part of the festivities to honor our fallen officers, Obama hosted a rapper who celebrates violence against the police.
This is not the first time that Obama has neglected to honor fallen officers.
Senior counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Debo Adegbile (R) testifies during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee as Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the Department of Justice John Carlin (L) listens January 8, 2014 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Adegbile has been nominated by President Barack Obama to become the next Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice. Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images
In 2009, President Obama failed to speak at the Memorial Service. He did speak in 2010, but this was most likely motivated by the July 2009 incident in which a Cambridge police officer arrested a college professor. At the time, when questioned about the incident Obama stated, the Cambridge police acted “stupidly.” This of course led to the infamous “beer summit” at the White House.
President Obama has been very clear in his actions since taking office that he has no love for law enforcement and his disdain continues to grow. Thankfully, the Senate finally took notice. However, it appears that Obama will continue to treat law enforcement with contempt until we are lucky enough to be denied of Obama’s public service.
Steven Ruffatto is a graduate of Boston University and Asst. Professor of Criminal Justice at HACC in Harrisburg Pennsylvania. He also sits on the Board of Directors for Peace Officer Ministries.
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