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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWell of course: TX Repukes illegally gerrymandered to suppress miniorities' votes. 3 federal judges
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http://www.reuters.com/article/us-texas-election-idUSKBN16I0M4?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews
[font size=5]Texas lawmakers illegally drew three voting districts on racial lines, court rules[/font]
By Jim Forsyth | SAN ANTONIO
SAN ANTONIO Texas lawmakers drew up three U.S. congressional districts to undermine the influence of Hispanic voters, a divided panel of three federal judges ruled, in the latest development in a years-long battle over gerrymandering.
In the decision announced late on Friday, U.S. District Judges Xavier Rodriguez and Orlando Garcia in San Antonio found that the districts' shapes diluted minority voters' power, either by splitting communities into different districts or concentrating minorities in a single area to limit their sway.
"When done to minimize Hispanic electoral opportunity, it bears the mark of intentional discrimination," wrote Rodriguez and Garcia, who were appointed by former Republican President George W. Bush and former Democratic President Bill Clinton, respectively.
The third judge (appointed by Reagan) on the panel, 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jerry Smith, dissented.
It was not clear whether Texas would appeal the ruling. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton did not immediately comment on Saturday.
The three districts found unlawful are currently represented by two Republicans and one Democrat. ....
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UTUSN
(70,686 posts)UTUSN
(70,686 posts)UTUSN
(70,686 posts)What the Black Civil Rights activists and LBJ knew was that *voting* is the main chance. In Texas, the Hispanic constituency doesn't vote in the proportional maximum that it could, even - *EVEN* - when its self-interest is blatantly at risk.
The upshot of this is the deepest irony: Wingnuts DON'T NEED to voter-suppress (because of the non-voting). Wingnuts have a strain in their DNA of the Salem witch-hunting hysteria and paranoia and over-reaching.
Gothmog
(145,176 posts)The court spent 600+ pages just on the US Congressional races. The court will be issuing a separate opinion on the state house races.
DemocraticSocialist8
(396 posts)racial agenda behind it