The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Sept. 7, 2023
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
Tuesday, a U.S. District Court of Appeals struck down in the strongest possible terms, the Alabama legislature’s revised Congressional district maps, drawn in defiance of June’s Milligan decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.
In Milligan, the nation’s highest court affirmed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, compelling Alabama to add a second majority-minority Black district or QUOTE “something quite close to it.” The legislature responded with one 50.65% majority Black district, and another with only 40%.
The three-judge court of appeals threw out that map, saying:
“We are not aware of any other case in which a state legislature — faced with a federal court order declaring that its electoral plan unlawfully dilutes minority votes and requiring a plan that provides an additional opportunity district — responded with a plan that the state concedes does not provide that district. The law requires the creation of an additional district that affords Black Alabamians, like everyone else, a fair and reasonable opportunity to elect the candidates of their choice.”
The court then turned the drawing of fair maps over to an independent special master, suggesting it had no confidence in the legislature to draw a map meeting the SCOTUS requirements, or complete it prior to the 2024 election. Still defiant, the State of Alabama says it will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
American Redistricting Project – Timeline for Milligan v. Allen
American Democracy Minute – Alabama Redistricting Committee Defies SCOTUS Milligan Decision, Again Proposing Only One Majority Black Congressional District
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama, Southern District via ACLU – ORDER – Milligan v. Allen 9 5 2023
CNN – Federal court strikes down Alabama congressional map after legislature snubbed Supreme Court
CNBC – Federal court rejects Alabama congressional map in racial gerrymandering case
The Hill – Court strikes down Alabama congressional map in scathing opinion
Brennan Center for Justice – Ongoing Voting Rights Act Redistricting Litigation After SCOTUS Ruling in Allen v. Milligan
Groups Taking Action:
NAACP Legal Defense Fund, ACLU, Greater Birmingham Ministries
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#Democracy #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #RacialGerrymandering #RacialJustice