Looks like the right-wing Supreme Court is fine with racism. This is a bad decision.
The SCOTUS decision in Alabama can't be considered a surprise given the makeup of the court, but it wasn't a foregone conclusion. It both narrows the Democratic path to a more balanced congressional map and further clouds the already murky standards for 'majority-minority' CDs
— Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) February 7, 2022
The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, allowed a congressional map drawn by Alabama Republicans to remain in place Monday, freezing a lower court ruling that said the map likely violates the Voting Rights Act, per @Arianedevogue https://t.co/UJzgokyBvJ
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 7, 2022
BREAKING: By a 5–4 vote, with Roberts joining the liberals in dissent, the Supreme Court halts a lower court order that required Alabama to redraw its congressional map, which diluted Black votes in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) February 7, 2022
The SCOTUS stay is obviously a huge win for Republicans and a blow to a coalition of Dems/civil rights groups seeking an additional Black opportunity seat in AL (and LA/SC). The 6R-1D GOP map will stand for 2022, and possibly longer.
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) February 7, 2022
The Supreme Court's order and dissents can be found here. https://t.co/VfdCaw3aos
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) February 7, 2022
This is another major blow to the Voting Rights Act that will likely preserve Alabama's current racist gerrymander.
Alabama officials asked the U.S. Supreme Court to let the state use its new map for congressional district boundaries, after a lower court said the map violated the Voting Rights Act. https://t.co/UObP6HxhdI
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 29, 2022
BREAKING: The Supreme Court has put on hold a lower court ruling that Alabama must draw new congressional districts before the 2022 elections, boosting Republican chances to hold six of the state’s seven seats in the House of Representatives. https://t.co/nA0JJ5CEPu
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 7, 2022
If courts were to insist on two Black *majority* districts in Alabama (#AL02 and #AL07 in the hypothetical below), the most at-risk GOP incumbents would be Reps. Jerry Carl (R) #AL01 and Barry Moore (R) #AL02, who could get merged into one Mobile/Wiregrass seat. pic.twitter.com/oyXUgRXzQh
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) January 25, 2022
At issue here: the GOP-passed Alabama map keeps Black voters packed in just one district, #AL07 (left), when it would be possible to draw *two* comfortable Black opportunity seats (hypothetical #AL06 and #AL07, right). pic.twitter.com/zQHeYvTS4w
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) January 25, 2022
Wow. Federal court strikes down AL GOP congressional map, orders a second Black opportunity district to be drawn (currently just 1/7 in a 27% Black state). Huge win for plaintiffs/Dems, though this is certainly headed for an appeal to SCOTUS. https://t.co/a4LiNZLtxc pic.twitter.com/HxQTvqeJwF
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) January 25, 2022
This was an action by an arm of the GOP doing the work of the party and has nothing to do with justice. https://t.co/jRVC77qFF3
— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) February 7, 2022
Kavanaugh: "If the District Court’s judgment is eventually affirmed after appellate review, the injunction can take effect for congressional elections that occur after 2022."
— Josh Douglas (@JoshuaADouglas) February 7, 2022
Translation: it's perfectly ok to harm minority voting rights for at least one election cycle!
Sad! 