The following was released from Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office regarding today's federal court finding that Congressional Districts 27 and 35 are unconstitutional.
Although today’s decision upheld the vast majority of the State’s congressional district map, Attorney General Ken Paxton expressed his disappointment with a portion of today’s federal court decision on maps that the district court itself adopted in 2012 and have been in effect for the last three election cycles. A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court in San Antonio ruled that the two particular districts (Congressional Districts 27 and 35) the court itself adopted had a discriminatory purpose.
“We appreciate that the panel ruled in favor of Texas on many issues in the case. But the portion of the ruling that went against Texas is puzzling considering the Legislature adopted the congressional map the same court itself adopted in 2012, and the Obama-era Department of Justice did not bring any claims against the map,” Attorney General Paxton said. “We look forward to asking the Supreme Court to decide whether Texas had discriminatory intent when relying on the district court.”
The court ruled unanimously in favor of Texas on the following issues:
That the plaintiffs’ failed to prove that black and Hispanic voters vote cohesively for purposes of creating a coalition district in Dallas-Fort Worth;
That the plaintiffs’ failed to prove that black and Hispanic voters vote cohesively for purposes of creating a coalition district in Houston; and
The lawfulness of Congressional District 23.
“We appreciate that the panel ruled in favor of Texas on many issues in the case. But the portion of the ruling that went against Texas is puzzling considering the Legislature adopted the congressional map the same court itself adopted in 2012, and the Obama-era Department of Justice did not bring any claims against the map,” Attorney General Paxton said. “We look forward to asking the Supreme Court to decide whether Texas had discriminatory intent when relying on the district court.”
The court ruled unanimously in favor of Texas on the following issues:
That the plaintiffs’ failed to prove that black and Hispanic voters vote cohesively for purposes of creating a coalition district in Dallas-Fort Worth;
That the plaintiffs’ failed to prove that black and Hispanic voters vote cohesively for purposes of creating a coalition district in Houston; and
The lawfulness of Congressional District 23.
According to the decision below, Paxton has three days to declare whether the state intends to offer a legislative fix on the Court's findings. If the Legislature does not intend to take up redistricting, the Court will hold a hearing to consider remedial plans beginning on September 5, 2017.
View more details in today’s decision- here.
