Liberal Democrat Rep. Brad Sherman was embarrassed and attacked by constituents recently when he claimed no knowledge of the New Black Panther scandal. So in true liberal pol style, he’s using his own gaffe as an excuse to savage the Bush administration. Yeah, really.

On July 19, Sherman wrote Attorney General Eric Holder — sorry, liberal spin squad — to acknowledge that voter intimidation and fraud are, gosh, serious matters and that he understands that charges were dropped against all but one defendant and “downgraded against one.” He also urges Holder to “review the matter and pursue the criminal case that your department did not originally pursue.” Well, there never was a criminal case, but Sherman now has joined the legions of conservatives calling for an investigation and the refiling of charges. I guess there really is an important case.

But then Sherman takes a bizarre turn and recites a litany of cases he claims the Bush administration (Brad, blaming Bush doesn’t work; look at the polls) did not pursue. Huh? He says this all might have occurred — get this — because of “politicization.” You know, usually pols are not so pathetically obvious in their misdirection gambits.

Nevertheless, it is heart-warming to see Sherman undercut the “no big deal” patrol, which seems so organized and so uniform on the New Black Panther counteroffensive you’d almost believe Journolist still lives.