Posted on 06/28/2006 7:14:51 AM PDT by Smogger
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned part of a Texas congressional map engineered by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
Challengers — Democrats and minority groups — had asked the court to declare the redrawn districts unconstitutional.
Republicans said the new map better reflects the voting patterns of the state and deny minority voting rights were violated.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Anxious to learn more, details still sketchy.
I'm fine with this as long as the Supreme Robes are consistent when it comes to gerrymandering.
What does that mean?? Sounds like a bad ruling!
Drudge Siren is up for this !!!
Fox News reporting that this is a win for Delay....only a small part of the plan stricken......waiting to see/hear more...
Conflicting reports coming out. One agency characterized it as overturning most of it, another said part of it, another said mostly upheld.
Given the media's track record, I'm betting on the last interpretation. We'll know shortly.
weird, I'm not seeing it yet.
The Supreme Court, splintering widely, on Wednesday found an insufficient claim of partisan gerrymandering in the Texas congressional redistricting. It also rejected a challenge to mid-decade congressional redistricting. It did not rule on whether all partisan gerrymander claims are beyond judicial review. The Court is split on that issue, and the division remains. It found the new District 24 invalid under the federal Voting Rights Act.
http://www.scotusblog.com/movabletype/archives/2006/06/decisions_4.html
well, that would be good, but I don't like any of it struck down!
It may be a small part that's been stricken, but the million vote question is what the remedy will be. If even one district is overturned it still has to be fixed, and ultimately the whole map is interconnected.
Does this mean a win or lose ruling for the Pubs here in Texas?
AP says part of the map is overturned, Reuters says mostly intact.
I take it as a WIN
It must be a win for Delay and Texas pubs if the AP and Reuters are offering different outcomes...HA!
The present logic of the Supreme Court, dating back to the Baker decision, suggests that we should do away with geographic districts altogether and organize districts around ethnicities, religions, and income groups.
And that will complete the Balkanization of the country.
McVey
Welcome back, Martin Frost.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday threw out part of a Texas congressional map engineered by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, saying some of the new boundaries failed to protect minority voting rights.The fractured decision was a small victory for Democratic and minority groups who accused Republicans of an unconstitutional power grab in drawing boundaries that booted four Democratic incumbents out of office.
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, writing for the majority, said Hispanics do not have a chance to elect a candidate of their choosing under the plan.
Republicans picked up six Texas congressional seats two years ago, and the court's ruling does not seriously threaten those gains. Lawmakers, however, will have to adjust boundary lines to address the court's concerns.
At issue was the shifting of 100,000 Hispanics out of a district represented by a Republican incumbent and into a new, oddly shaped district. Justices had been told that was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander under the Voting Rights Act, which protects minority voting rights.
AP:
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Wednesday threw out part of a Texas congressional map engineered by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, saying some of the new boundaries failed to protect minority voting rights.
The fractured decision was a small victory for Democratic and minority groups who accused Republicans of an unconstitutional power grab in drawing boundaries that booted four Democratic incumbents out of office.
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, writing for the majority, said Hispanics do not have a chance to elect a candidate of their choosing under the plan.
Republicans picked up six Texas congressional seats two years ago, and the court’s ruling does not seriously threaten those gains. Lawmakers, however, will have to adjust boundary lines to address the court’s concerns.
At issue was the shifting of 100,000 Hispanics out of a district represented by a Republican incumbent and into a new, oddly shaped district. Justices had been told that was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander under the Voting Rights Act, which protects minority voting rights.
Republicans had said the new map better reflected the voting patterns of the state and denied that minority voting rights were violated.
The map in question was steered through the Legislature by DeLay, who left Congress June 9 amid legal and ethical troubles, some stemming from the redistricting fight.
The new map gave Texas its first congressional delegation with a Republican majority since Reconstruction. The delegation has 21 Republicans and 11 Democrats. Under the previous boundaries, Democrats dominated 17-15.
(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.