Round-Up of Redistricting Press Statements

by: Katherine Haenschen

Thu Aug 30, 2012 at 10:19 AM CDT

We received many statements from our elected officials and progressive groups praising the court's ruling. Below the jump you can read statements from:

• Congressman Lloyd Doggett
• Congressman Charlie Gonzalez
• Senator Rodney Ellis
• Senator Wendy Davis
• Representative Garnet Coleman
• The Lone Star Project
• Representative Sylvester Turner
• Chairman Steve Maxwell, Tarrant County Democratic Party

"Today's ruling is a victory for voting rights and all those who believe in fair elections. Three judges, including two appointed by President George W. Bush, have upheld our contention that this crooked map was intentionally discriminatory.  My personal focus remains on ensuring that families along the I-35 corridor continue to have a strong voice in Congress."

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Congressman Charlie Gonzalez

"With today's ruling, two federal judicial panels have now found the Texas legislature's maps illegal. Both panels found that the proposed maps intentionally denied the people of Texas their right to elect the government officials of their choice to represent them. In a representative democracy such as ours, the Republican dominated Texas legislature's failure to respect this bedrock principle is deplorable. I hope that everyone involved will read today's opinion carefully and work to propose maps that reflect the rights of all of our citizens."

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Senator Rodney Ellis

"I applaud the DC Court's rejection of preclearance for Texas' redistricting maps.  The court has ruled  these plans discriminate against minority Texas voters but, most importantly, they upheld the heart of the Voting Rights Act.

"The court clearly validated the importance of preclearance in voting procedures in states under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.  Everyone may not like it, but Texas and other states have a sad and unfortunate history of discriminating against minority voters, and not just in the bygone past.  I am pleased the court continued to stress the need for vigilance on this critically important issue.

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Senator Wendy Davis

"I am pleased with the court's decision, especially knowing that this court has agreed that those in charge in Austin were neither honest nor transparent with Texans during their overly partisan and discriminatory redistricting process," Senator Wendy Davis said. "I am proud to stand up for Senate District 10 voters on this issue and will continue to fight for them on their priorities such as education funding, job creation, and affordable college tuition."

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Representative Garnet Coleman

"Today is a victory for the people of Texas. I am thankful that this federal court has preserved the integrity of 'one man, one vote' by enforcing the Voting Rights Act. The Republican-drawn maps were a prime example of why Texas maps must be precleared in the first place: the maps did not represent the demographics of our state and blatantly disenfranchised minority voters. While this does not affect the current maps for November's election, today's opinion ensures that we are one step closer to having maps that allow voters to elect representatives of their choice.

I was called as a witness by the U.S. Department of Justice in this case, and I would like to thank Attorney General Eric Holder and his staff for their vigorous defense of the Voting Rights Act and their stellar performance in federal court."

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The Lone Star Project

"The Lone Star Project provided technical and legal assistance to key intervenors in the Congressional and State Senate cases, who were led by Congressional District 33 Democratic nominee Marc Veasey and State Senator Wendy Davis. The Court's decision is a major victory for Texas minority voters, intervenor groups and for important advocacy groups like the national NAACP and national LULAC."

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Representative Sylvester Turner

"The D.C. Court found that African American communities of interest and vitally important economic areas were systematically stripped from the areas historically represented by African American members, especially in Congress.

"The ruling affirms what we have continuously held true and central to the Voting Rights Act, which is that we will no longer roll over and let others dismantle the core of African American districts. The rights of all communities must be respected," said Rep. Sylvester Turner, who serves as Chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus.

"I look forward to the opportunity for the Texas Legislative Black Caucus to rectify the harms done and have an honest, open and meaningful redistricting process next Session, as the Federal Court justices have demanded.""

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Chairman Steve Maxwell, Tarrant County Democratic Party

"The leadership, courage and fortitude shown by Sen. Wendy Davis and CD 33 Democratic Party Nominee Marc Veasey during this process is an inspiring tribute to the faith the voters have put in them. Their efforts to ensure fair maps began in the 2011 legislative session have been rewarded by this ruling. Attorney General Greg Abbott has vowed to appeal this ruling to the US Supreme Court, as he pursues his agenda of dismantling the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Regardless of the Republican efforts to use every possible means of disenfranchising Texas voters, one thing is clear from today's ruling: the maps Republicans believed would prevent thousands of Texas voters from choosing the candidates of their choice will not be the law of our state, now, or in the future."