more on that story tonight from our justice correspondent pete williams at the justice department tonight. pete, good evening. >> reporter: brian, this does involve a case of what some see as voter intimidation outside of a predominantly african-american polling place nearly two years ago. the issue is what the justice department did about it. a video shot by a mccain campaign volunteer on election day 2008 in philadelphia shows two members of the new black panther party in paramilitary style uniforms standing at the entrance to a polling place, one holds a night stick. >> i think it may be a little intimidating that you have a stick in your hand. >> reporter: a controversy of what happened next has erupted on talk radio and cable. >> the u.s. commission on civil rights is now investigating. >> we have a doj whistle blower who is alleging there is a discriminatory policy in effect right now. >> right. >> reporter: in january 2009 the justice department sued the two men along with the new black panther party and its president for voter intimidation. they are proceeding only against the man

. >>> to our justice correspondent pete williams we go. pete, two questions. number one, why did the judge rule the way she did? and what are we looking at next? >> reporter: this is a victory for the obama administration. the judge agreed with the justice department's main attack on the law that it crossed a constitutional line on how far the states can go. judge susan bolton said the law would require police to do so many more checks on people accused of being here illegally that it would overwhelm the government and divert attention from catching terrorists. she said it would mean widespread detention for people here legally while their immigration status was checked. so the judge concluded that the arizona law would interfere with federal immigration law which the states are not allowed to do. her ruling did note that 18 other states are considering following arizona's lead. she said that would burden the federal government even more. now the state can go to the federal court of appeals in california and try to get the hold lifted. if that doesn't work, ar

covering the week, karen tumulty of "the washington post," pete williams of nbc news and martha raddatz of abc news. >> award-winning reporting and analysis, covering history as it happens. live from our nation's capital, this is "washington week" with gwen ifill, produced in association with jat journal. is provided by -- >> we know why we're here. to connect our forces to what they need, when they need it. >> to help truth see danger before it sees them. >> to answer the call of the brave and bring them safely home. >> around the globe the people of boeing are working together to support and protect all who serve. >> that's why we're here. >> additional funding for "washington week" is provided by exxonmobil, the ethics and excellence in journalism foundation, the annenberg foundation, the corporation for public broadcasting, and by trutions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. once again, live from washington, moderator gwen ifill. gwen: good evening. after 40 years in congress capped by his tenure as chairman of the house ways and means committee, charlie rangel lik

nbc's justice correspondent pete williams has the very latest. good morning to you, pete. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. the judge did leave some parts of that law intact, but she said arizona could not go ahead with what police statewide were prepared to start doing this morning, stepping up checks for illegal immigrants. immigrant groups cheered the ruling, calling it a victory for civil rights. it blocks a state law due to go into effect this morning that required police making arrests for traffic stops to check the immigration status of anyone they suspected was here illegally. those arrested were to be held until their legal status was verified. in an exclusive interview with nbc's ann curry, vice president joe biden said the ruling sends the right message. >> we don't think you can have 50 different immigration laws out there. we don't think you can have -- i think it actually is damaging, rather than helps enforcing our immigration laws. >> reporter: judge susan bolden ruled that the arizona law would interfere with federal immigratio

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