Washington, DC—Following today’s announcement that Attorney General Merrick Garland will open a Justice Department investigation into patterns and practices of policing in Minneapolis, following yesterday’s conviction of Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd, People For the American Way President Ben Jealous released the following statement:

“We wholeheartedly welcome this step by the attorney general to open an investigation of the Minneapolis police department. We already know that the city’s police union has been called a white supremacist-led organization by the state AFL-CIO. We encourage the Justice Department to do everything in its power to identify and curtail the toxic practices and climate within the Minneapolis police department. At the same time, the Justice Department must do more. The scourge of violence and systemic racism exists in police forces across the country, and our Justice Department has a role to play in finding this cancer and cutting it out – including restoring the use of consent decrees where they are needed. We are deeply grateful that Merrick Garland is taking this step and we look forward to the addition of great civil rights leaders like Vanita Gupta and Kristen Clarke to DOJ, where they too will work to restore a civil rights focus to its work. We are confident that their work will save lives and restore hope for millions of Americans.”

About People For the American Way

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all. We encourage civic participation, defend fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle systemic barriers to equitable opportunity. Learn more: https://www.pfaw.org.