Republican Party violated the Voting Rights Act to protect Henry Bonilla

[David Van Os]

Today the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated the Republican Party’s transparent attempt to protect Republican Congressman Henry Bonilla by decreasing the Latino population in Bonilla’s 23rd Congressional District. The Court held that the redrawing of District 23 violated the voting rights of the district’s Latino population under the Voting Rights Act. The justices’ analysis of voting trends showed conclusively that a clear majority of Latino voters do not support Bonilla, and that the DeLay redistricting plan had removed a large chunk of Latino voters from the district in order to protect Bonilla from the political threat to his incumbency represented by the growing Latino voting strength in the district.

In redrawing District 23, the Republican Party, masquerading as the Texas Legislature, callously diluted Latino voting strength in order to protect a Republican Congressman. Now the federal courts will redraw the district and neighboring districts in order to redress this injustice. If the Republican Party and Henry Bonilla wish to retain Bonilla’s seat in the U.S. House, they are going to have to convince the voters to re-elect him rather than drawing those voters out of the district.

The Voting Rights Act made it possible for the U.S. Supreme Court to redress the injustice done in South Texas. This decision demonstrates the importance of the Voting Rights Act to keep our society on the road to equal access and equal opportunity. President Lyndon B. Johnson, from Texas, was right to promote the initial passage of the Voting Rights Act and succeeding presidents, including Ronald Reagan, have been right to maintain it. The current Republican Party power grabbers in Washington are trying to kill the Voting Rights Act, so that they will be able to attack the voting rights of minority citizens with impunity. Their blockage of Voting Rights Act renewal is an insult to history and a slap in the face to Latino and African-American citizens. It is intolerable.

Earlier today incumbent Attorney General Greg Abbott issued his usual self-congratulatory press release in the wake of this decision. If I were him I would not be proud of his Republican buddies’ violations of the Voting Rights Act. I am certain Abbott will now go into court and try to delay the court from remedying the violation. This is the same Greg Abbott who has been indicting minority citizens on questionable charges of “voter fraud” in the continuing perpetration of Republican Party voter suppression tactics. All the more reason Texans need an Attorney General who will promote instead of suppress the voting rights of all Texas citizens.

[Lisa0825]

1. I listened and just shook my head....

when I heard the news and corresponding comments. How these people live with themselves is just beyond my comprehension. I may not be perfect, but I do make a major effort to prevent myself from harming, offending, or trampling on the rights of others. In fact, my most major gripe with the rethugnicons has been their apparent HUNGER to both tread on our rights and enforce their own brand of morality on anyone else.

I know this is an extreme comparison, but I can't help it... I think about people like serial killers, and how they have no capacity for empathy; no conscience. And I can't help seeing a parallel, because these are people who think NOTHING of the harm they do to others AND OUR NATION, as long as their own personal satisfaction is being fulfilled.

They are incomprehensibly selfish and utterly unable to see validity in perspectives that conflict with theirs.

That is why they have no shame in disputing something like the voting rights act - because nothing else matters to them other than their own motives.

[Czolgosz]

2. Cornyn, Strayhorn, Dewhurst, Perry, Craddick enabled DeLay, Abbott - k & r

[Melissa G]

4. Perry Bailed, Dewhurst Flip Flopped, Craddick carried water

(and need we mention all the illegal money he carried which I sure hope someone prosecutes him for) Strayhorn and Cornyn assisted, WHILE Abbot EFFING carried the ball with a Banner FLYING it's OK to STEAL MINORITY REPRESENTATION 'cuz we are in charge and We Can.

KICK THAT SORRY RE REDISTRICTING EXCUSE TO THE CURB, DAVID!!!

We Need A People's Lawyer who will represent all the People of Texas as AG.

WE NEED DAVID VAN OS to make our State Great again!!!

Go David!

[Vincardog]

9. Second that WE NEED DAVID VAN OS to make our State Great again

[sonias]

3. Your damn right David

This current corrupt regime in our Texas State offices will never do the work of defending the people. It's all about protecting their jobs and their cronies.

Sonia

[PDittie]

5. Henry Vanilla

What a schmuck. He all but announced plans to run for the US Senate seat Kay Bailey Perjury Technicality lied about leaving to run for Guvnuh.

Let's do what we can to help Rick Bolanos, his Democratic opponent in November.

[fudge stripe cookays]

6. How did I miss Rick Bolanos running?

Jesus I'm out of the loop since I missed the convention!

crispini and I saw him when he and the brothers came through Dallas a few years ago and he is SO powerful a speaker. Grabs right at your heart strings. And massively physically intimidating too.

I hope he body slams the ole bastard.

Go Rick!

[WestHoustonDem]

7. How are you feeling FSC? n/t

[sonias]

8. Really good statement from the Rick Bollanos campaign

Posted at BOR. Go give it a recommend.

http://www.burntorangereport.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1258
Rick Bolanos statement on SCOTUS decision to redraw lines of 23d Congressional District
A tremendously large number of Texans were disenfranchised by the Republican redistricting of the Congressional map. Today’s Supreme Court decision will allow many of those Texans, and particularly a large number of Hispanics who were cut out of the 23rd Congressional District, to again exercise their inalienable right to vote as guaranteed by the constitution of the United States. Furthermore, those disenfranchised voters will have a strong voice in deciding who they want to represent them in Washington.

This is a tremendous victory for those Hispanic voters whose Voting Rights were trampled by the partisan agenda of Tom DeLay, Henry Bonilla, Governor Rick Perry, Republican legislative leaders and the political appointees of the Bush Administration Justice Department, all of whom argued in support of an egregious plan that violated Hispanic voting rights in a deliberate and blatant manner. It was morally reprehensible to violate the Voting Rights of those Hispanics in an obvious attempt to ensure Henry Bonilla’s re-election. The actions of those persons was a repugnant and shameful act that is indicative of the crisis of corruption that has left our great nation with leaders more interested in accumulating power and economic gain, rather than enacting responsible public policy that responds to the needs of our American populace.

In a recent interview Mr. Bonilla, whose voting record has been very anti-hispanic, and who has been feeling very "safe" in his gerrymandered district, was asked if he was forgetting that more than fifty per cent of his constituents were Hispanic. Mr. Bonilla responded by saying "it doesn't matter they don't vote." It is my personal belief that this statement is going to come back to haunt the incumbent.

A three judge panel will now decide how to proceed to re-enfranchise those voters by redrawing the lines of the gerrymandered 23rd congressional district. In spite of the furtive attempts by Mr. Bonilla and his cohorts to violate the constitutional rights of our nation, I will continue my campaign to give all the voters of the 23rd congressional district the type of ethical, fervent and passionate representation that they have so long been denied and that they so dearly deserve. I want to personally thank LULAC for their relentless pursuit of justice for those Hispanics who were oppressed by the misguided, avaricious actions of the present administration

Sonia

[Melissa G]

10. YEESSS!!! way to go Rick!!! n/t