Furthermore, through the efforts of conservative talk radio media and FOX News in particular, national attention was given to the intimidating efforts of the New Black Panther Party at a Philadelphia voting precinct in the 2008 presidential election. Overwhelming evidence of voter intimidation was presented to the DoJ, but Eric Holder dismissed any action on the evidence outright. In a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing called to look into the matter, Rep. John Culberson (R-TX) called Holder on the evidence that his DoJ did nothing to investigate or prosecute those involved in the intimidation. Holder responded to the committee in part by declaring:
"Think about that," Holder said. "When you compare what people endured in the South in the 60s to try to get the right to vote for African Americans, and to compare what people were subjected to there to what happened in Philadelphia - which was inappropriate, certainly that...to describe it in those terms I think does a great disservice to people who put their lives on the line, who risked all, for my people," said Holder, who is black.
"To compare that kind of courage, that kind of action, and to say that the Black Panther incident wrong thought it might be somehow is greater in magnitude or is of greater concern to us, historically, I think just flies in the face of history and the facts.," Holder said with evident exasperation."
