Supreme Court upholds Texas redistricting
The Supreme Court voted recently to uphold the redistricting efforts of Texas Republicans ruling that it was not unconstitutional to redistrict more than once per decade, nor was it unfair to redistrict in a manner that would help the party.
However, the Court did rule that a district in Southwestern Texas was redrawn illegally because it was done in a way that hurt Latino voters. The Voting Rights Act of 1982 forbids officials from “diluting” the power of minority voting blocs. Texas lawmakers violated that provision when they shifted 100,000 Latino voters to shore up the reelection prospects of Rep. Henry Bonilla, a Republican who has been unpopular with Latino voters. The Texas Legislature split Webb County, which is 94% Latino, between Bonilla’s 23rd District and a neighboring district.
Let me digress a bit. Folks here in the District should remember Rep. Bonilla. He was the oaf who decided that it would be a great idea to rename 16th Street in Northwest to Ronald Reagan Boulevard. Of course, that didn’t go over well with Washington DC’s mostly minority, overwhelmingly Democrat voters who had no liking for the former prez, and who noted that Reagan already had the Trade Center building, as well as National Airport named for him. Thankfully, Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) put a stop to that infuriating nonsense!
As for the illegal redrawing, this ruling requires the Texas Legislature — or perhaps a panel of judges — to redraw that district, which will force others to be changed.
Now that the Court has ruled on the redistricting issue, its time for those Texas lawmakers who held up the vote to extend the Voting Rights Act to get off their duffs, roll up their sleeves, and get to work. The time for excuses is over! The dirty deed that was done in Webb County is a prime example of why the Voting Rights Act is still needed.