A federal court ruled Thursday that Alabama’s Republican-controlled legislature intentionally discriminated against Black voters when it approved a 2023 congressional map with only one majority-Black district. The 571-page opinion from a three-judge panel criticized the legislature for defying prior court orders and a Supreme Court ruling requiring at least two Black-opportunity districts.
“The Legislature knew what federal law required and purposefully refused to provide it,” the judges wrote, calling Alabama’s actions a strategic attempt to evade compliance.
Two of the three judges on the panel were appointed by former President Donald Trump, and the third by President Bill Clinton. They noted that no state legislature had ever responded to a redistricting court order in such a defiant manner.
The court had already blocked Alabama’s original map and required a court-approved version for the 2024 election. That map led to a historic outcome: two Black representatives — Terri Sewell and Shomari Figures, both Democrats — were elected.
Plaintiffs asked the court to prohibit Alabama from using the GOP-drawn map for the remainder of the decade, a request the judges granted. The court found violations of both Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office said it is reviewing the ruling and that “all options remain on the table.”
Sources:
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
