Federal District Court Judges are “Troubled”

I think we are seeing the writing on the wall this week as final arguments were made in DC yesterday on the Texas redistricting lawsuit. There is no way that the present district maps passed by the Texas state legislature last year will be allowed to stand. That much is certain. I don’t think I have ever seen this before. Well, yeah. I still remember Judge Sam Sparks telling Tom DeLay to “Run like a rabbit,” but it is a rarity that the federal district court tips their hand.

District court judges are “troubled” by some of the arguments made by the Texas attorney general’s office in defense of the process that was used to draw up state house, senate, and congressional district maps last year.

From The Chron:

“District Judge Rosemary Collyer voiced concern that the house and office of Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, an African-American lawmaker, were office stripped out of her congressional district, while mapmakers tucked San Antonio Country Club into the district of Rep. Lamar Smith, a Republican leader, at his behest.”

“‘Did Lamar Smith's office get cut out of his district? I'll bet not,’ said Collyer, who added that she is ‘troubled’ by the process the GOP Legislature used and its defense of the procedures.”

“The judges also seemed baffled that Republican staffers who drew the maps testified that they had little guidance from the Republican lawmakers in charge of the process.

‘I have to scratch my head,’ said District Judge Beryl Howell.”

Amazingly, the state’s main defense is that they sought to “consolidate GOP power” in their redesign of district boundaries, not intentionally discriminate against racial minorities. All well and good, but because racial minorities have no affinity with the GOP, it is all one and the same thing, isn’t it? This is why minorities were discriminated against in the first place. They challenged the conservative agenda.

But it’s kind of fun watching the state attorney general’s office digging and digging. Digging a hole that they can’t hope to climb out of.