Such patently obvious attempts by the GOP to jiggle the system for partisan gain as the recent congressional redistricting map and the Voter ID law were both struck down this week by Federal judges for violating the Voting Rights Act.
On Tuesday (8/28), a D.C. federal court ruled on the new legislative redistricting map drawn up during the last session of the Texas Legislature. As the court’s opinion states:
“We conclude that Texas has not met its burden to show that the U.S. Congressional and State House Plans will not have a retrogressive effect, and that the U.S. Congressional and State Senate Plans were not enacted with discriminatory purpose. Accordingly, we deny Texas declaratory relief.”
Then today (8/30), the Texas Voter ID law – one of many instituted across the nation by GOP-led states to address the virtually non-existent issue of voter fraud – was also struck down by federal judges. As the American-Statesman notes of both cases:
Texas, as a jurisdiction with a history of discrimination against minority voters, must receive “pre-clearance” from either the Department of Justice or federal court for any law affecting elections.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbot said he would appeal both decisions to the Supreme Court.
