Mississippi Supreme Court map violates Voting Rights Act, judge rules
U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock ruled the map, which was enacted in 1987, violates the Voting Rights Act and cannot be used in future elections.
The Mississippi branch of the American Civil Liberties Union helped litigate the lawsuit, arguing the map cut Mississippi's Delta region — a historically Black area — in half.
'This win corrects a historic injustice," said Ari Savitzky, a senior staff attorney at the ACLU Voting Rights Project. "All Mississippians will benefit from fair district lines that give Black voters an equal voice — and new generations of Black leaders an equal chance to help shape the state's future by serving on the state's highest court.'
The lawsuit, which was filed on April 25, 2022, argued the map diminished the Black vote in the Central District.
Aycock's ruling notes that only four Black people have served on the Mississippi Supreme Court. All of them held the same seat in the Central District and were first appointed to the position by a sitting governor.
Aycock wrote that she will impose a deadline for the Mississippi Legislature to create a new map.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
9 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
UK's military chief in Pentagon talks after Donald Trump pledges a NATO-style security guarantee for Ukraine - but British peacekeeping troops 'won't be sent to the frontline'
The UK's top military chief is set to hold meetings in Washington DC today following Donald Trump 's promise of security guarantees for Ukraine. Sir Tony Radakin, the chief of the defence staff, is expected to attend talks at the Pentagon to thrash out how Ukraine would be defended from future attack in the event of a peace deal with Russia. It follows crunch talks at the White House on Monday between the US President and European leaders, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky. After the emergency summit in the Oval Office - held in the wake of Mr Trump's talks with Russia's Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week - Sir Keir said there had been a 'common understanding' about a NATO-style security guarantee for Ukraine. The PM added this was an 'Article 5-like guarantee', which could mirror the 'collective defence' clause of the NATO treaty that states that an attack against one NATO ally is considered an attack against all NATO allies. Sir Keir has pledged to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine as part of efforts by the so-called 'coalition of the willing' of Ukrainian allies to help ensure a potential peace agreement with Russia holds. But, during the Pentagon talks on Wednesday between military chiefs from the coalition of the willing and their American counterparts, Sir Tony is expected to state that UK peacekeeping troops would not be on the frontline with Russia. US President Donald Trump told Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday that America would help guarantee Ukraine's security in a deal with Russia A British official told The Guardian: 'Wednesday is a really important moment. 'Nothing happens in Washington without the President giving the green light, so Trump giving his support to security guarantees on Monday kickstarted a lot of activity.' Another said Sir Tony would echo pledges made by Defence Secretary John Healey, who recently said Britain was willing to deploy troops to Ukraine 'to secure the safe skies, safe seas and to build the strength of the Ukrainian forces'. They added that ministers envisaged this as meaning logistical and training support rather than sending battalions of frontline troops who could end up in combat. Security minister Dan Jarvis this morning said the flurry of diplomatic talks in recent days had 'brought the prospect of peace much closer' in Ukraine. Speaking on Times Radio, he said: 'We've always strongly supported Ukraine's integration, both in terms of their potential desire to be members of the European Union and membership of NATO. 'We don't think that any limitation should be placed on Ukraine's armed forces or on its co-operation with third countries, and Russia certainly shouldn't be able to have a veto against Ukraine's pathway to the European Union or NATO.' Mr Jarvis added: 'I think it is important to make the point that very significant progress has been made. 'I think the Alaska summit and the talks in Washington over the previous days have brought the prospect of peace much closer than they had been previously.' But, despite the growing hopes that the three year-long conflict in Ukraine could soon be brought to an end, former Russian prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov warned that Mr Putin is 'absolutely not' ready for peace. He told Times Radio that the Russian leader was 'absolutely not' serious about striking a peace deal, despite Mr Trump's suggestion trilateral meeting - potentially in Budapest - between himself, Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky. 'He doesn't want to have the high-level meeting. He doesn't want to meet to sit down with Zelensky,' Mr Kasyanov, a leading Putin critic, said. 'It will be some of a humiliating event for him. That's why he will be avoiding it. You're correct that the ball is on Putin's court, but he will continue dragging out time, continue his offensive operation, believing that he will win the war of attrition. 'He simply managed to avoid imposing just tough sanctions as a result of Alaska meeting.'
Daily Mail
10 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Trump sets sights on another D.C. institution he plans on remaking
President Donald Trump has set his sights on another D.C. institution he plans on remaking in his image – the Smithsonian. On Tuesday afternoon, Trump fired off a message to his supporters on Truth Social, raging at the historical institution for focusing their museums on 'how horrible our country is' because of slavery. The president, who recently took over the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after firing the entire board, said museums are 'the last remaining segment of 'WOKE' in the country. 'The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future.' Trump added, 'We are not going to allow this to happen, and I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made.' He then claimed 'country cannot be WOKE' before declaring museums should promote the US as the ''HOTTEST' Country in the World.' The Daily Mail has reached out to the Smithsonian for comment. Trump's latest attack against the historical society appears related to a White House initiative seeking to ensure Smithsonian museum exhibitions, materials, and operations align with the president's view of American history. Earlier this month, three top White House officials sent a letter to Lonnie Bunch, the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, stating they plan on conducting a far-reaching review of the institution's museums. 'This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the president's directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions,' the White House letter states. Trump wants the museums to showcase 'unity, progress, and enduring values that define the American story.' The White House has begun reviewing a wide-variety of areas at the Smithsonian, including their use of artist grants, exhibition planning, and exhibition text. The Smithsonian currently has a federal appropriation budget that exceeds $1 billion, while 62 percent of the institution is bankrolled by government funds.
Daily Mail
10 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
GOP Rep's 'no tax on tips' backfires on social media
A Republican politician unintentionally provoked a wave of criticism in a misguided attempt to promote President Donald Trump's 'No Tax on Tips' initiative. Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (pictured) shared two photos to X on Monday after she dined at Sundown Bar and Grill in Iowa for lunch on Sunday. In one of the pictures, Miller-Meeks smiles broadly while showing off the receipt for her meal - a chilly steak sandwich and some nuggets - which totaled $18.19 including tax. But it was her tip which has left online commentators so divided. Miller-Meeks left $21 in bills, along with several coins on the table to cover her bill, amounting to a tip of about $3. 'I got to celebrate No Tax on Tips with our wonderful server, she's thrilled about this provision and excited to keep more of what she earns,' she wrote. Despite offering a 20 percent tip on her meal, Miller-Meeks has been slammed for the sum. 'Imagine showing the world you're a cheapskate,' one furious X user wrote. 'Did you really only tip $3? And broadcast it as a win?' Her defenders pointed out that she left a 20 percent tip on her bill, an amount generally considered a good - or at the very least, standard - tip at restaurants in the US. One person, defending Miller-Meeks, responded to another user who had been particularly critical of her tip. 'Why are you trying to make someone who tipped 20% seem stingy? Oh I know, you want internet clout from libs,' the commenter said. 'Further, what are your tipping habits? Do you think 20% is to [sic] little?' Anthony Fakhoury, a spokesperson with Miller-Meeks' office, told CBS : 'The Congresswoman left a 20% tip. 'Unlike Democrats, she did not vote to increase taxes on hardworking Iowans. "No Tax on Tips" means more money in the pockets of servers, not the IRS.'
