Supreme Court Strikes Down North Carolina's Racial Gerrymander

[babylonsister]

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Supreme Court Strikes Down North Carolina's Racial Gerrymander
Clarence Thomas joined the liberals on the court to give voting rights advocates a win.

Pema Levy
May 22, 2017 11:17 AM


The Supreme Court on Monday struck down North Carolina's congressional map, finding that the Republican legislature unconstitutionally used race in drawing district lines that reduced the voting power of minorities.

In the 5-3 decision, with ultra-conservative Justice Clarence Thomas joining the four liberal justices in the majority, the court ruled that North Carolina unconstitutionally packed African American voters into two districts, in violation of the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. Justice Neil Gorsuch, who joined the court in April, did not participate in the ruling.

"This decision by Justice {Elena} Kagan is a major victory for voting rights plaintiffs, who have succeeded in turning the racial gerrymandering cause of action into an effective tool to go after partisan gerrymanders in Southern states," election law expert Rick Hasen wrote on his blog Monday morning. "That Justice Kagan got Justice Thomas not only to vote this way but to sign onto the opinion (giving it precedential value) is a really big deal."

more...

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/03/supreme-court-north-carolina-race-gerrymander

[jesskirablue42]

1. Surprised he did it, but glad he did

Looks like Thomas found a conscience.

[JenniferJuniper]

3. No, he's just lost without Tony.

[Matthew28]

2. Great news! To hell with the fascist repubicans.