The United States Commission on Civil Rights voted Friday to wait until after the presidential election in November to discuss its recent critical report on the civil rights policies of the Bush Administration. Despite objections from GOP commissioners, the 180-page report, Redefining Rights in America: The Civil Rights Record of the George W. Bush Administration, 2001-2004 [PDF] nonetheless remains posted on the Commission website. Written by commission staff, the report states that Bush "has neither exhibited leadership on pressing civil rights issues, nor taken actions that matched his words" on the subject.

Some of the criticisms concern the administration's funding request for civil rights enforcement agencies, his position on voting rights, and his actions against hate crimes. The report does, however, commend Bush for his commitment to help people with disabilities. Republican commissioners were openly critical of the timing of the report; they stated that a similar report on the Clinton administration was not released at all until after the 2000 election. AP has more.