Tag: redistricting

The link between the IRS scandal and redistricting in North Carolina

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May 16, 2013 at 2:36 pmCategory:Uncategorized

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President Obama 4No, the above headline is not a typo or even a logical stretch. There is actually a close relationship between the two subjects. Here’s why:

Although all the facts have yet to come to light, the recent scandal in Washington related to the wrongful targeting of conservative groups by Internal Revenue Service officials appears to be just that: a scandal. Every American should be outraged anytime the people in power abuse the system to target any group or individual because of their beliefs. It is an offensive assault on core constitutional rights anytime such an event occurs. President Obama needs to get to the bottom of this ASAP and punish all who are responsible.

Unfortunately, such occurrences are not new in the United States. They occurred when the George W. Bush administration wrongfully targeted liberal groups (click here and here to read about some examples) AND they occur every time politicians in power draw absurdly gerrymandered political maps to punish their opponents and deny voters the opportunity to participate in real elections. Read More…

Senate Redistricting Committee schedules Tedesco/Prickett-preservation bill

April 16, 2013 at 10:38 amCategory:Uncategorized

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Neal HuntAs reported previously here and here, one of the 2013 legislative session’s leading contenders for “Most Shameless Power-Grab Legislation” has to be the proposal by conservative Wake County senators to rig the districts and election schedule for the Wake County School Board.

As we noted last month:  ”[the] new bill from Senator Neal Hunt (pictured at left) would change the rules of how school board members are elected in the capital county in a way that is clearly designed to alter the board’s power structure and move things in a conservative direction.” The bill would, in addition to redrawing district lines, extend the terms of conservative members John Tedesco and Deborah Prickett from four years to five.

Now, there’s news this morning that Hunt is still serious about advancing this offensive legislation; the measure has been scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Redistricting Committee tomorrow (Wednesday) at noon in Room 544 of the Legislative Office Building.  

 

Civil rights groups call on Supreme Court Justice to recuse himself

November 21, 2012 at 12:04 pmCategory:Uncategorized

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Arguing that it essential for the protection of the justice system as a whole and the principle of equal justice under the law, a group of nonpartisan North Carolina civil rights groups filed papers with the Supreme Court today calling on Justice Paul Newby to recuse himself in the legislative redistricting case currently before the court.

According to Rev. William Barber of the North Carolina NAACP:

“If justice and fairness are to prevail, the integrity of the court’s justices and the proceedings cannot be influenced by money or have even the appearance of being sold to the highest bidder. Whenever this possibility arises, we must call on the court to examine itself and if necessary recuse any justice or judge whose ability to rule fairly has been tempted or tampered with.”

Barber, Bob Hall of Democracy North Carolina and Melvin Montford of the A. Philip Randolph Institute (pictured at left) spoke outside the Supreme Court after the papers were filed.

For more details on the request of the advocacy groups and their arguments, check out Sharon McCloskey’s article by clicking here.  You can read Barber’s entire statement by clicking here.

Gerrymander watch: NC part of a national trend

November 8, 2012 at 11:45 amCategory:Uncategorized

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Yesterday we reported that despite casting 76,525 more votes for Democratic congressional candidates, North Carolinians will be represented by nine or ten Republicans and only three or four Democrats in the U.S. House. The reason for this, of course, is the absurd gerrymandering performed by the GOP legislature.

Not surprisingly, however, North Carolina is far from the only state to suffer such a fate. As the folks at Think Progress report, it looks like Americans as a whole voted for a slightly Democratic or evenly divided U.S. House of Representatives.

The current count: Repubs 233, Dems 192.

(Photo courtesy of Think Progress).

Last night’s most amazing statistic

November 7, 2012 at 12:01 pmCategory:Uncategorized

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Total congressional vote in North Carolina (according to the state Board of Elections):

Democrats: 2,218,572
Republicans: 2,142,047

Gerrymandered congressional delegation results:

Democrats: 4
Republicans: 9

(This includes District 7, which Mike McIntyre leads by only 500 votes.)