Judges dampen (TX) Democrats' legal hopes | Houston Chronicle

[Ediacara]

Aug. 29, 2003, 12:53AM

Judges dampen Democrats' legal hopes
Panel of 3 will hear voting rights lawsuit
By R.G. RATCLIFFE
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN -- Democrats' hopes of winning court relief in their congressional redistricting battle dimmed further Thursday after a judicial panel of two Republicans and a Democrat was named to hear their voting rights lawsuit.

U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Chief Judge Carolyn Dineen King named fellow appellate Judge Patrick Higginbotham and U.S. District Judges George P. Kazen and Lee Rosenthal to the panel to hear the Democrats' case.

Kazen, during a hearing Wednesday in Laredo, made clear to Democratic lawyers that he was inclined to dismiss their lawsuit but believed that voting rights case law required that such an action could only be taken by a three-judge panel.

The case arose after 11 Democratic state senators fled to Albuquerque, N.M., on July 28, the eve of a second special session on congressional redistricting. They boycotted the entire 30-day session, depriving the Senate of a quorum so it could not vote on redistricting. The session ended Tuesday.

More at the Houston Chronicle

[Soloflecks]

1. Exactly what I feared!!!! n/t

.

[RedSox02]

2. Tom Delay s*cks bumper stickers anyone??

Please tell me these have been made already?

[tom_paine]

3. Another Federalist Society Set Sup

The Amerikan Empire is looking more and more like the Soviet Union every day.

Sometimes I wish they would just cut to the chase, and the Imperial Stormtroopers could march into Texas and appoint 20 Handpicked Busheviks and 12 handpicked milequtoast Coporate Dems to be the Coomes to their Hannity.

People migth wake up then, but of course, if Hitler didn't feel secure enough in 1935 to "cut right to the chase" what makes you think Uncle Karl and the Imperial Family will do any differently, given that they are trying to seize a nation with a much stronger and stable (yet decaying rapidy) history of Liberty and Free Speech.

No, sir. The Busheviks are going to go slow. They didn't get this close to destroying the Old American Republic by being sloppy or moving too fast.

[0007]

4. dad gum it!

n/t

[damnraddem]

5. They're going to have to hold out till early October.

Then it will be too late to reapportion for 2004.

[judgegina]

6. And they might just be planning on doing that...

holding out until Oct. Of course, the Repukes will then try to change the rules.

[UnapologeticLiberal]

7. If it is the 5th Circuit, their chances are not good

This court is to the right of the US Supreme Court and gets struck down almost as frequently as the 9th Circuit, which is the most liberal circuit court and gets overturned most of the time.

I am confused, though - are they still in New Mexico because they are afraid to go home, and what exactly are they trying to accomplish through this lawsuit?

[jiacinto]

8. The most conservative circuit is the 4th based in Richmond

That court covers MD, VA, WV, NC, and SC. That is the court that threw out Miranda.

[mbperrin]

9. They're right to be afraid!

Governor Goodhair can call a special session on moment's notice and have them arrested and brought to the capital while the Repubs pass whatever they want.

The purpose of the lawsuit is to get the redistricting disallowed because it will interfere with the voting rights of minorities in Texas when the existing districts are "Perrymandered" to allow his all-white handpicked folks to win (like Mike Conaway here in West Texas, who lost by less than 700 votes - by remarking the districts, they can get Conaway in here, leave white guy Neugebauer (swear I am not making up his name!) to kick out Dem Stenholm in a new district, while in other parts of Texas, much the same will go on.