President Bush's pick for the new chairman of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission is a conservative African-American lawyer who opposes affirmative action.

Gerald A. Reynolds, a former assistant secretary for the office of civil rights in the Education Department, doesn't think minorities should receive preferences based on race. He once wrote that affirmative action is a "big lie." He says he has probably experienced racism but isn't sure.....

Reynolds replaces former commission chairwoman Mary Frances Berry. Under her leadership, the commission issued two crucial reports about federal funding and health care in Indian Country.

Get the Story:
Shift Toward Skepticism for Civil Rights Panel (The New York Times 12/10
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Relevant Links:
United States Commission on Civil Rights - http://www.usccr.gov

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