(C) Common Dreams
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Lawmakers react to Alabama’s newly approved congressional map [1]
['Wsfa News Staff']
Date: 2023-07-21
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law Friday afternoon a controversial new map, approved less than two hours earlier by the Alabama Legislature. The court-ordered congressional map Ivey gave final approval to failed to create a second majority-Black congressional district.
“Following the U.S. Supreme Court order, I called the Alabama Legislature into a special session to readdress our congressional map,” Ivey said. “The Legislature knows our state, our people and our districts better than the federal courts or activist groups, and I am pleased that they answered the call, remained focused and produced new districts ahead of the court deadline.”
The new map generated reaction from a number of state leaders and others, including those below.
“Following the federal court’s ruling on our congressional districts last month, my colleagues in the Alabama Legislature have been working tirelessly towards a plan that offers more opportunity for all voters.” “I firmly believe that the map we adopted in the House and Senate is a fair solution that positions Alabama’s congressional districts and our voters in the best way possible. While any special session of this nature comes with a lot of work and thoughtful discussions, we are here doing what we need to do to serve our great state and our people.”
“The Supreme Court was very clear. The Alabama State Legislature must draw two majority-minority districts to ensure that Alabama’s African American voters are fairly represented in Congress.” “Today, the State of Alabama has shamelessly chosen to ignore the Supreme Court. The map advanced by the state legislature includes only one majority-minority district and a second district where Black voters make up only 39.9 percent of the voting age population.” “This map does not comply with the Supreme Court’s order and is an insult to Black voters across our state. I fully expect that it will be rejected by the courts.”
U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl, R-District 1, spoke with Fox 10 Mobile and issued this statement.
“Once again, the Republican majority in Alabama is putting political ambition ahead of what is right and just. And again, unfortunately, partisan politics is coming before Democratic rights, despite a decision upheld by the highest court in the land. The court ruled that our Black population is large enough and geographically compact enough to create a second district. And yet, the majority pushed through a map that blatantly fails to meet that standard. Remember, we were handed a common-sense solution.” “The House Democratic Caucus endorsed a map, supported by the plaintiffs, that satisfies that court’s ruling. That majority has repeatedly ignored that option in an attempt to sidestep their duty to draw maps that represent all Alabama voters fairly and equitably.” “Alabama has a long and tragic history of trampling on the voting rights of people of color. Sadly, that tradition is alive and well today. We hope and expect that the federal district court will reject this map in favor of one that satisfies the Voter Rights Act and upholds the voting rights of Black voters and all voters in Alabama.”
“This map, and the Republican politicians who supported it, would make George Wallace proud. It arrogantly defies a very conservative United States Supreme Court decision requiring the drawing of two Black opportunity districts in accordance with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act—from just weeks ago. “Throughout the redraw process, the debate among legislative Republicans was never about how to best ensure Black Alabamians had the opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice. Instead, it was a debate between two maps that sought to preserve an illegal and discriminatory status quo, just in slightly different ways. “This is a continuation of Alabama’s fraught history with racial inequity, a history filled with Black Alabamians’ struggle for equal rights. It is one where, at every turn, the federal courts have had to intervene on behalf of Black Alabamians in order to achieve the fair representation and equality they deserve as citizens of this nation. What is happening in Alabama underscores the absolute necessity of enforcing the legal protections in the Voting Rights Act. “With Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act still intact as a result of the Supreme Court’s recent decision, we must again look to the federal courts to hold the Alabama legislature to account.”
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office said that if Plaintiffs object to the newly-approved map, they are scheduled to file their objections with the federal district court in Birmingham by July 28. The AG’s office will then file a response a week later. There would then be a hearing on the matter on Aug. 14.
Despite a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that forced Alabama to redraw its congressional districts, any court challenge to the new congressional map would be filed and heard in district court, the AG’s office said.
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[1] Url:
https://www.wsfa.com/2023/07/21/lawmakers-react-alabamas-newly-approved-congressional-map/
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