Oops: State of Texas' Expert Says State's Senate Map Hurts Minorities

[sonias]

Burnt Orange Report 1/26/12
Oops: State of Texas' Expert Says State's Senate Map Hurts Minorities

The 8-day preclearance trial wraps up in Washington today, but yesterday brought a stunning admission from the State of Texas' expert witness, Rice professor John Alford.

Put on the stand to testify about the treatment of minority groups under the state's maps, Alford testified under oath that the state's senate map hurts the ability of minorities in SD-10 in Tarrant County to elect their candidate of choice. That's, of course, the district currently represented by State Sen. Wendy Davis.

Just like Michael Li points out in his blog post. Holy moly!!

[gateley]

1. I'm sure this comes as a shock.

[sonias]

3. It did to the republicans who paid for the expert witness

After all he was there to protect their interests. And instead he told the truth under oath and now there is talk of settling on some kind of compromise map.

They shot themselves in the foot so to speak. That was the shocking part.

That they were out to screw the minorities on representation, yeah that's no shock to anyone.

[sonias]

2. State's witness concedes point in hearing on Texas districts Read more here: http://www.star-telegr

Fort Worth Star Telegram 1/26/12
State's witness concedes point in hearing on Texas districts

(snip)

The state's expert witness, John Alford of Rice University, was on the stand to defend the districts drawn by the Texas Legislature for the Texas House, Texas Senate and U.S. House under the Voting Rights Act.

Alford surprised Davis' attorney during questioning by agreeing that the reconfiguration of Davis' District 10 into four parts hurt minority voters and turned back the clock on the ability of blacks and Hispanics to vote for a candidate they prefer.

Davis' attorney, Gerry Hebert, asked Alford, "In 2008, black and Latino voters in District 10 demonstrated the ability to elect the candidate of their choice?"

Alford replied "yes" and that the candidate was Davis.

"Would you agree," Hebert continued, "that under the state's proposed plan that the ability of minority voters in District 10 to elect the preferred candidate was retrogressed?"

"Gerry," Alford said, "I couldn't agree with you more."

"Retrogression" is at the heart of the case that Davis and others are making: that the Republican-dominated Legislature drew the lines of some districts in such a discriminatory way as to reduce the voting strength of minority communities.

OMG a republican paid for expert actually told the truth under oath to the court!

Just