In defiance of a federal courtroom order, the Louisiana Legislature adjourned Saturday with out passing a congressional map with two majority Black districts. A federal decide will now draw a map for the state.
Out of seven maps proposed, just one made it out of committee. Senate Invoice 3, sponsored by Sen. Rick Ward, R-Port Allen, created two districts with razor-thin Black majorities. The Senate spent two hours Saturday morning debating the map, then adjourned for an hour-long recess.
Upon returning, Ward, solemnly chatting with an uneasily quiet chamber, introduced {that a} compromise couldn’t be reached and that he could be returning the invoice to the calendar with out a vote, killing any likelihood of passing a map beneath the court-imposed Monday deadline.
“Whenever you’re coping with one thing like this, each time you fulfill 4 individuals you lose 4 individuals,” Ward informed the Senate. “Whenever you fulfill six individuals you lose seven over right here. It’s a troublesome activity.”
Gov. John Bel Edwards condemned the Legislature in a press release.
“It’s disappointing that after each alternative to do the best factor and create a second majority African-American Congressional district as ordered by the U.S. Courtroom for the Center District, the Legislature has as soon as once more failed to take action. The present map handed by legislators violates Part 2 of the Voting Rights Act. That’s the reason I vetoed it,” Edwards mentioned.
Each chambers of the Legislature voted Wednesday to override Gov. John Bel Edwards’ veto of congressional maps that didn’t embrace a second majority Black district.
After Dick struck down the map authorised by legislators earlier this 12 months on June 6, Edwards referred to as the Legislature again for a six-day particular session starting on Wednesday.
Dick mentioned the map was racially gerrymandered, as solely one of many six congressional districts had been majority Black, whereas a 3rd of the state’s inhabitants is Black.
Dick gave the Legislature till June 20 to move a map with two majority Black districts beneath the specter of a court-drawn map. On Friday, she ordered attorneys concerned within the case to submit proposed maps for her to contemplate. A listening to on the maps shall be held on June 29.
Republicans argued that the six-day session was too in need of a timeline to move a brand new map. To move a invoice in such a short while body, the Legislature must vote to droop the principles a number of instances.
Nonetheless, supporters of the decide’s order identified that the Legislature has handed a invoice in six days earlier than.
Throughout a Thursday listening to by which legislative leaders requested extra time, Dick admonished Home Speaker Clay Schexnayder for less than assembly for 90 minutes on the primary day of the session. The Home additionally declined to satisfy on Thursday.
In a press convention after the Legislature adjourned, Sen. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, condemned his colleague’s inaction.
“There was no will from the Legislature,” Fields mentioned.
Ward’s proposal turned Congressional District 6, at the moment held by U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, a Baton Rouge Republican, right into a majority Black district. The proposal additionally made drastic modifications to different districts, drawing the ire of Senators from throughout the state.
Beneath the proposal, Baton Rouge, which is usually within the sixth district, could be break up into three districts, the sixth, 1st and third.
Sen. Bodi White, R-Central, argued in opposition to splitting the parish.
“I do not prefer it as a result of it cuts the parish in three items,” White mentioned.
Sen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, pushed again on the map, arguing that it may outcome within the state’s sole feminine Congressional consultant, Julia Letlow, a Republican, shedding her seat.
A number of different Senators argued that the map break up communities of curiosity that they characterize.
The multitude of objections in the end led to the session crumbling.
Ward, who’s leaving the Senate, informed his colleagues that he didn’t wish to use his last moments on the microphone to power them into doomed votes.
After the invoice was returned to the calendar, neither chamber had any dwell devices, screeching the session to a untimely halt.
Republicans nonetheless maintain out hope that their authentic invoice will prevail.
On Friday, the state requested the U.S. Supreme Courtroom to intervene and protect the map Dick struck down. The fifth Circuit Courtroom of Appeals will maintain a listening to on July 8 to evaluation Dick’s order.
In his assertion, Edwards commented on the Legislature declining to move truthful maps on Juneteenth.
“The irony of all ironies is that for the primary time yesterday, Louisiana acknowledged Juneteenth as an official state vacation,” Edwards mentioned. “And at present, on the precise vacation, which celebrates the day when enslaved People realized of their freedom, it’s clear that our African-American brothers and sisters are nonetheless combating for truthful illustration.”
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