By RYAN J. REILLY
The nine (
or is it eight?) members of the Supreme Court are set to decide whether redistricting maps drawn by a federal court (after separate maps signed by Texas Gov. Rick Perry were found to be discriminatory) can go into effect.
The Supreme Courts one paragraph order on Friday
placed a stay on the implementation of the maps tossing Texass congressional and state legislature elections
into chaos. Political observers and participants in the case are still trying to figure out exactly what it means for the election timeline. A hearing is set for Jan. 9.
Gerry Hebert an election lawyer in D.C. who is working for intervenors in the redistricting case told TPM that the Supreme Courts decision shows that theyre just another governmental institution in Washington thats highly partisan."
Noting that the Supreme Court denied his request for a stay back in 2003 when he was representing Congressional Democrats in a case involving redistricting maps implemented with
support from former Speaker of the House Tom DeLay Hebert said that the federal court which tossed out the maps that werent precleared had no other option than to do what it did."
Hebert who believes the maps drawn by Texas legislators were discriminatory called the delay caused by the outstanding redistricting issue a mess of their own making" and said Texas chose the slowest possible alternative by going to court instead of DOJ."
While there are several cases making their way through the courts about whether Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act (which requires certain areas of the country to have their )
is constitutional Hebert said he believes the Supreme Court addressing the broader issue is highly doubtful" but said anything is possible with this crew."
The Justice Department
had argued that there was
ample circumstantial evidence" (including
emails) that the maps had the effect and intent of limiting the voting power of Hispanic voters.
The
Houston Chronicle reports that Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is going to ask a federal court to suspend the deadlines for the filing period for congressional and state House and Senate races.
One Texas legislators home is in different districts in various versions of the map. He
told the
New York Times that everything is up in the air.
Until the Supreme Court gives us some direction this is unchartered waters" freshman state Sen. Jim Landtroop (R) said. Everything thats happening now is new. Theres no place to go for guidance."
