SCOTUS: Louisiana Allowed to Use Republican-Drawn Map

JUN 29 2022·Updated NOV 4 2022

Story

Image credit: Reuters [via The Wall Street Journal]

The Facts

SCOTUS on Tues. ruled 6-3 granting an application from the Louisiana GOP to block a district court ruling that ordered the state to issue a second majority-Black congressional district.
wsj
The ruling is another setback for civil rights activists and Democrats who argue the redistricting process often disadvantages growing minority communities.
nytimes
The Republican-majority legislature overruled Gov. Edwards' veto of the map which led to the district court's ruling. Louisiana - which is one-third black - will, for now, only have one of its six districts be majority-Black for the coming fall elections.
Daily Caller
Tues.'s ruling was issued in response to an emergency application by the Louisiana GOP. In an unusual development, SCOTUS didn't provide the reason taking the case.
nytimes
The SCOTUS order said the Louisiana case will be put on hold and the Republican-drawn map will be upheld until a similar case in Alabama is ruled on in October.
wapo
Regarding the Alabama case, Justice Kavanaugh, of the majority opinion, said "the underlying question here is whether a second majority-minority congressional district...is required by the Voting Rights Act and not prohibited by the Equal Protection Clause."
wapo

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The Spin

Republican narrative

Democrats complain about gerrymandering as if it's something only Republicans do but, as we've seen in states like New York and Oregon, they implement the same district-map-drawing schemes when they have the majority. Gerrymandering has occurred from both sides since the nation's founding, and Louisiana has the same right to draw maps the way they want as New York and Oregon do.

The Federalist

Democratic narrative

Democrats have certainly been the party calling for an end to the GOP's unethical, racially-based gerrymandering for at least a decade. That being said, without a clear and likely national resolution to the problem soon, the Democrats should continue drawing up districts to benefit themselves as much as possible or they'll risk losing the legislature in this year's midterms.

Vox