Federal judges strike down Louisiana's newly redrawn congressional map due to racial gerrymandering.
Louisiana lacks a settled congressional map six months before November elections.
The ruling leaves implications for both parties in their efforts to control the House of Representatives.
In a recent development, federal judges have struck down Louisiana's newly redrawn congressional map that aimed to create an additional majority-Black district. The ruling leaves the state without a settled congressional map just six months before the November elections. This decision is expected to have significant implications for both parties in their efforts to control the House of Representatives.
The federal three-judge panel, which included Judges David Joseph and Robert Summerhays, ruled that Louisiana's new map constituted an impermissible racial gerrymander. The judges found that lawmakers had stitched together communities based on race to segregate voters. Critics argue that this ruling threatens vital protections for voters of color.
The outcome of legal challenges to electoral maps in the South, including Louisiana and South Carolina, is likely to play a crucial role in deciding which party controls the House next year. The Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on a related case out of South Carolina.
Louisiana's Attorney General, Liz Murrill, has announced plans to seek Supreme Court review of the ruling. In the meantime, Louisiana remains without a settled congressional map for the upcoming elections.
Two majority-Black districts were created in compliance with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
The ruling is expected to be appealed directly to the Supreme Court.
Louisiana’s previous map, which was struck down for likely violating the Voting Rights Act’s Section 2, was allowed to be used in the 2022 midterm elections while the case is reviewed.
Accuracy
A federal court has blocked Louisiana from using its new congressional map for the 2022 elections due to alleged racial gerrymandering.
The three-judge court found that the state legislature drew voting districts with a predominant role of race in their decisions.
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains a few informal fallacies and appeals to authority. It also uses inflammatory rhetoric by referring to the Voting Rights Act as 'embattled' and describing the high court's conservative majority as having 'weakened' the act over the past decade.
. . . this legal fight could help determine the balance of power in the next Congress and set up an opportunity for the Supreme Court to revisit . . .
Federal judges have struck down Louisiana's recently redrawn congressional map that included an additional majority-Black district.
Louisiana is currently without a settled congressional map six months before the November elections.
The outcome of legal challenges to electoral maps in the South, including Louisiana and South Carolina, is likely to play a crucial role in deciding which party controls the House next year.
The Supreme Court is expected to rule soon in a related case.
Accuracy
Two majority-Black districts were created in compliance with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
A panel of federal judges blocked Louisiana from using a newly drawn congressional map on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
The challenge had been brought by a group of non-African American voters who described lawmakers as having stitched together communities in far-flung regions to segregate voters based on their races.
Critics assailed the ruling, saying it threatened vital protections for voters of color.
Louisiana’s attorney general, Liz Murrill, announced plans to seek Supreme Court review.
Accuracy
The new districts had been outlined in January during a special session of the State Legislature.
Two majority-Black districts were created in compliance with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
A federal court has tossed out a newly drawn congressional map for Louisiana, potentially affecting Democrats’ chances of seizing control of the US House in November’s elections.
The judges, US District Judges David Joseph and Robert Summerhays, stated that the map amounts to an unconstitutional racial gerrymander and cannot be used in any election.
An appeal to the US Supreme Court is likely, casting doubt over what map will be used in this year’s elections.
State officials need to know the contours of the district by May 15 to prepare for fall elections.
Accuracy
The creation of new districts with sizable Black populations in Louisiana and Alabama were considered significant wins for voting rights activists that could shape the balance of power in the House.
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(95%)
No formal fallacies found. However, there is an example of inflammatory rhetoric and a potential appeal to authority.
An appeal to the US Supreme Court is likely – casting doubt over what map will be used in this year’s elections.
Supporters of the Legislature’s map argued that political factors, rather than race alone, had shaped its contours.
