Judge asks for federal panel review on redistricting debate

[sonias]

Senate Democrats staying in New Mexico for fear of arrest say ruling is a victory for them
http://www.statesman.com/legislature/content/coxnet/texas/legislature/0803/0828redistrict_update.html

LAREDO — A federal judge said today that he doesn't buy the argument that the state's Republican leaders have violated the Voting Rights Act in their efforts to draw a new map for congressional districts.

But U.S. District Judge George P. Kazen said he's not prepared to throw out the lawsuit filed by 11 Senate Democrats who boycotted the recently ended special session to prevent a new congressional map from being passed.
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Mixed results at best but we live to fight another round. I think the Houston Chronicle article had a good argument from the Dems attorney.

Sonia
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Federal judge punts, sends Democrats' suit to 3-judge panel
Kazen critical of both sides in redistricting standoff
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory/2068053
"Hicks in his brief called the state's position "greatly exaggerated." He said the Voting Rights Act clearly could be applied to Senate rules.

"To use an extreme example, if the Texas Senate adopted a rule that said only Anglos in the Senate could vote on redistricting legislation, that too would not be within the scope of the (Voting Rights Act)" if the state was correct, Hicks wrote.

[Democat]

1. Federal Panel?

Ashcroft, Bush, and Cheney?

[sonias]

2. Nope I hope not

At least not directly. It's 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. I don't know the makeup of that court and if that's a good thing or not. I did hear that this same judge from Laredo, U.S. District Judge George Kazen will be one of the three members of the new panel that will consider the case. So the Dems will have their work cut out for them on him. He already doesn't like the case, but at least punted since it involves voting rights and that should be heard but a larger panel.

Here's another story link from the S.A. paper.

http://news.mysanantonio.com/story.cfm?xla=saen&xlb=180&xlc=1046088&xld=180
Judge in Laredo sends Demo suit to appeals court
LAREDO — A federal judge refused today to dismiss a lawsuit that the Texas 11 Senate Democrats filed alleging voting rights violations in a proposed congressional redistricting plan, saying while he doesn't agree with its merits, he felt uncomfortable issuing a ruling, himself.

Sonia