Former president Barack Obama, in a rare public comment on a court decision, applauded the Supreme Court’s ruling that state courts can act as a check on their legislatures in redistricting and other issues affecting federal elections.
In its decision, the court rejected arguments by North Carolina Republicans that could have dramatically altered races for Congress and president in that state and beyond.
The justices by a 6-3 vote upheld a decision by North Carolina’s top court that struck down a congressional districting plan as excessively partisan under state law.
In a statement, Obama said the Supreme Court “rejected the fringe independent state legislature theory that threatened to upend our democracy and dismantle our system of checks and balances by giving state legislatures near-total control of federal election laws.”
“This ruling is a resounding rejection of the far-right theory that has been peddled by election deniers and extremists seeking to undermine our democracy.” the statement continued. “And it makes clear that courts can continue defending voters’ rights—in North Carolina and in every state. Thanks to National Redistricting Foundation and Eric Holder for helping make this happen.”
This ruling rejects the far-right theory that threatened to undermine our democracy, and makes clear that courts can continue defending voters’ rights—in North Carolina and in every state. Thanks to @RedistrictFdn and @EricHolder for helping make this happen.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 27, 2023