Texas redistricting now illegal?

[Bluesplayer]

If Delay is found guilty, will the redistricting of Texas Congressional districts, the direct result of his illegal activities, be considered to be illegal? I say no, but more attention needs to paid to this.

[jody]

1. Good question. I hope DUers post thoughtful replies. n/t

[win_in_06]

2. Would it become an issue for the Texas Supreme Court?

I'm not sure how that court is seated, but Texas has had repug Governors for the last Decade.

[AllegroRondo]

3. very doubtful

the redistricting has withstood several legal challenges. even if the state reps that did it were elected using illegal funding, any actions they took still stand.

[bearfan454]

5. But that was before it was proven to be done illegally.

It might be something.

[AllegroRondo]

6. the election or the fundraising?

even if someone was elected using illegally raised funds, it does not negate their election.

[bearfan454]

8. I would think that if the redistricting effort was funded illegally, then

the districts should go back like they were before the illegal power grab.

[AllegroRondo]

9. the redistricting effort funding was not part of the charges

just the funding of election campaigns for state representatives.

[cry baby]

4. I doubt it.

Maybe the Delay thing will open some eyes there, then they could elect people that aren't corrupt and they could re-district again, but with an impartial panel of judges or something to draw fair district lines.

It would be icing on the cake if the redistricting was finally seen as illegal!

[Fleshdancer]

7. I think we're stuck with the redistricting for now unfortunately

Delay took corporate $$$, laundered it over at the RNC then funded the campaigns of the Republican assholes who, once they were elected, then made the redistricting sham happen.

I doubt we can do anything right now about the redistricting (which pisses me off because my vote is now useless) but I would like to go after the candidates who received the laundered money for campaign purposes.

[Hidden Stillness]

10. Not Connected to Census, so Not True Population Change, So, Illegal

Redistricting is supposed to be illegal when not done to reflect an actual population shift, either a move of population from one area to another, or an increase or decrease, and immediately after a 10-year Census was taken, which would prove the numbers. DeLay's crimes had no relation to a Census having been taken at all, so that should be easy. Also, there were the illegal corporate contributions for candidates and the illegal use of the Dept. of Homeland "Security" to chase after Democrats trying to stall a vote in the Texas legislature, all illegal. Also, threats, bribes, all the rest. This should be illegal if there are still laws. If they revert to earlier district lines, we get several seats back--Martin Frost, Charles Stenholm, etc.

[Geoff R. Casavant]

11. Two points to make

Delay's conviction alone would not be enough to overturn the redistricting. However:

1. Unless I am very much mistaken, there is currently an ongoing challenge to the redistricting, addressing the issue of whether a gerrymander for partisan gain is legal.

2. If Delay is convicted, then that means the 190K funneled to certain candidates was illegal, and it is possible that the legislators who took the contributions might find themselves in legal hot water, necessitating a round of resignations and special elections.

[ncteechur]

12. But wasn't the redistricting illegal anyway because it wasn't

done in the first legislative session following the census? Per Randi Rhodes.

[StellaBlue]

13. Probably not, but

I was wondering (hoping) that, too.

We lost our long-time, staunchly Democratic US Rep in this rural, East Texas district to DeLay and are now 'represented' by some Rethuglican guy no one's ever heard of out of the DFW area!

Disgruntled.