Dissenting judge slams colleagues for blocking Texas congressional map

Reuters.com ^ | November 19, 20255:31 PM CST | Jan Wolfe

[E. Pluribus Unum]

WASHINGTON, Nov 19 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge issued an unusual dissenting opinion on Wednesday lambasting an earlier ruling that blocked Texas Republicans from using a new congressional map, saying he had been cut out of the decision-making process by two other judges on a three-judge panel.

U.S. Circuit Judge Jerry Smith said in his dissent that he was outraged by Tuesday's decision, which was a major blow for Republicans, in Texas and nationally, who redrew the state's electoral districts at the behest of President Donald Trump.

Smith, an appointee of former President Ronald Reagan, was one of three federal judges who conducted a non-jury trial last month to determine if the Texas map unlawfully sorted voters based on their race, as civil rights groups have alleged.

The other two judges on the panel, Jeffrey V. Brown and David Guaderrama, on Tuesday issued their majority opinion, which said the Texas map was likely unlawful and should be blocked from taking effect. They noted that Smith had cast a dissenting vote, and said that because of the need to move quickly his dissenting opinion would be published at a later date.

Brown was appointed by Trump. Guaderrama was appointed by former President Barack Obama.

"Judges in the majority don’t get to tell a dissenting judge or judges that they can’t participate," Smith wrote.

Smith went on the criticize the majority opinion's legal reasoning, asserting: "If this were a law school exam, the opinion would deserve an 'F.'"

The 2-1 ruling imperiled a Republican effort to redraw boundaries of state congressional districts to maximize the number of Republicans who could be elected and protect the party's narrow U.S. House majority.

Tuesday's ruling found that Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, "explicitly directed the Legislature to redistrict based on race," after receiving a letter from...

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TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: davidguaderrama; jeffreybrown; jeffreyvbrown; jerrysmith; judgewatch; redistricting; texas

[FlingWingFlyer]

Damn Feral Jugheads in Black Robes all need to be locked up now that they been weaponized by their massas, Chunky Schumer and Potatohead King Hakeen.

[cuban leaf]

Minority Report

[FlingWingFlyer]

“Feral Judges suck.” Everybody knows that.

[butlerweave]

More powerful than a Texas government ,LOL

[Verginius Rufus]

I’ve read the 14th amendment. I don’t see anything there which mandates that Congressional districts have to be drawn to maximize the chances that non-white candidates will win the election. Maybe it’s there but in invisible ink.

[philman_36]

As any sane person would expect...

Attor­ney Gen­er­al Ken Pax­ton Will Appeal Fed­er­al Court Deci­sion Stalling Texas’s New Con­gres­sion­al Map to SCOTUS

“The radical left is once again trying to undermine the will of the people. The Big Beautiful Map was entirely legal and passed for partisan purposes to better represent the political affiliations of Texas,” said Attorney General Paxton. “For years, Democrats have engaged in partisan redistricting intended to eliminate Republican representation. Democratic states across the country, from California to Illinois to New York, have systematically reduced representation of Republican voters in their congressional delegations. But when Republicans respond in kind, Democrats rely on false accusations of racism to secure a partisan advantage. I will be appealing this decision to the Supreme Court of the United States, and I fully expect the Court to uphold Texas’s sovereign right to engage in partisan redistricting.” Goose and gander.

[Fledermaus]

Major Blow? Nope. Reuters BS.

[iamgalt]

“at the behest of President Donald Trump”

F’n Reuters

[paltz]

Wait for SCOTUS to rule on Louisiana’s case related to the VRA. If SCOTUS rules in favor of Louisiana, this case will be moot and liberal heads will explode

[TornadoAlley3]

SCOTUS will end race based districts.

[Alvin Diogenes]

Maybe it’s there but in invisible ink.

It's all in those dang penumbras and emanations.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

But in time for the 2026 Congressional primaries though?

[central_va]

How many divisions do these judges have?

[sauropod]

.

[Ann Archy]

Judges are getting WAY TOO BIG FOR THEIR ROBES!!

[TornadoAlley3]

Yes.