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Posted on 01/16/2004 12:53:19 PM PST by medscribe
Court Won't Block Texas Redistrict Plan 18 minutes ago
By GINA HOLLAND, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court refused Friday to block a hard-fought Republican redistricting plan in Texas that could cost Democrats as many as six seats in Congress.
The justices will announce later this year whether they will consider an appeal from congressional Democrats and others who claim the map dilutes minority voting strength. In the meantime, they rejected an emergency appeal that sought to stop the state from using the new boundaries in this year's elections.
The districts were approved by the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature in a special session following months of partisan bickering, highlighted by two out-of-state walkouts by Democrats.
Republicans contend they could capture 22 of Texas' 32 seats in Congress, up from the present 16, under the map, which was upheld last week by a federal panel.
The three-judge panel said critics failed to prove boundaries were unconstitutional or illegal, but noted they were not ruling on the "wisdom" of the plan.
"We know it is rough and tumble politics, and we are ever mindful that the judiciary must call the fouls without participating in the game," the judges said.
Challengers of the plan asked the Supreme Court for a stay of that decision, but Texas argued it would unsettle the upcoming election and confuse voters because candidates are already campaigning in the new districts.
The Supreme Court action, done without comment, came as candidates were re-qualifying under the new districts for the March 9 primaries. Candidates originally filed to run under court-drawn districts because the federal panel had not yet signed off on the GOP map.
The Texas Legislature approved the districts during a special session last fall. Democrats claimed a Republican "power grab" waged from Washington was behind the effort.
"The consequences of an erroneous denial of a stay here are severe: Applicants and millions of other Texans would suffer a needless deprivation of their federal constitutional and statutory rights," attorneys representing critics of the plan told the Supreme Court.
The case is Jackson v. Perry, 03A581.
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