The United States Supreme Court issues a hold on a lower court ruling that Louisiana must draw a new congressional map. Federal Judge Shelly Dick was to receive a map with two Black majority districts drawn by attorney today. But Attorney General Jeff Landry petitioned the high court for the map passed by the majority Republican legislature to be effective for the Fall 2022 election.
“Our members of congress are going to run the map that was passed by the legislature, vetoed by the governor, and then overruled by that legislature,” said Landry.
The court’s ruling is similar to a February order that allows Alabama to hold their 2022 election under a map approved by Alabama’s Republican controlled legislature.
Democrat and Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields said while the court has not decided the merits of the case, he’s disappointed the fall election with the current map will stand, but he plans to continue to fight for Louisiana to have two Black majority congressional districts.
“It appears that the supreme court is becoming more and more political. While I’m very disappointed in the ruling of the supreme court as I’ve said all along, we have to respect the ruling of the court,” said Fields.
Landry is pleased with the ruling and believes the US Supreme Court made the right decision and it’s expected to be ruled on after hearing arguments in the Alabama case in October.
“This is an issue that’s going to be taken up by the United States Supreme Court, I believe in the fall, along with the Alabama case, that was made some months ago, which the facts are very, very similar to what we have here in Louisiana,” said Landry.
The map passed by the legislature in the redistricting session in February will be used in the Fall 2022 election.
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