MALDEF Argues Texas Redistricting Case Before Supreme Court
February 28, 2006
WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on the Texas Congressional redistricting case this Wednesday, March 1, 2006 at 1p.m. Nina Perales, MALDEF’s Southwestern Regional Counsel is one of two attorneys arguing against the Texas Congressional district map. MALDEF represents the American GI Forum of Texas.
“This case is about the right of every American to effectively participate in the democratic process. In 2003, Texas took the extraordinary step of taking 100,000 mostly Latino voters out of a district to try to control the election result. This kind of discrimination violates the Constitution and denies the American dream of full citizenship to millions of Latinos,” stated MALDEF President and General Counsel, Ann Marie Tallman.
“This case isn’t about any one elected official, or any political party, or any one racial group. This is about the integrity of the democratic process. No state has the right to manipulate congressional districts to deny any American the right to pick the candidate of their choice,” said Ms. Perales.
The case, GI Forum v. Perry, argues that the Texas redistricting plan discriminates against Latino voters by failing to create seven Latino-majority districts in South Texas and by dismantling Congressional District 23 in West Texas as a Latino opportunity district.
For all media inquiries, please contact Laura Rodriguez.
