We just heard from Harvey Kronberg that —-

D.C. PANEL NIXES QUICK APPROVAL OF STATE REQUEST FOR PRE-CLEARANCE ON LEGISLATIVE, CONGRESSIONAL MAPS

In denying summary judgment, Court finds that Texas “used an improper standard or methodology to determine which districts afford minority voters the ability to elect their preferred candidates of choice”

To view the court order, click here.

Some observers point out to us that it is significant that a three-judge panel — two of whom were appointed by President George W. Bush — found that the state applied an improper legal standard on whether the legislative and Congressional maps hindered the right of minorities in Texas to elect a preferred candidate of choice.

Even the Republican judges were shocked at the greed grab in Texas.

More to come.  I’m real busy today.  So much to do, so litt(hang on a sec).

UPDATE:

Texas Democratic Party Chairman, Boyd Richie, issued the following statement:

“Rick Perry’s Republican Party used every dirty trick they could think of to keep voters from deciding elections. After laying-off tens of thousands of teachers, I can understand why Republicans don’t want to face voters. Thankfully the courts are not going to let them disenfranchise millions of Texans with these illegal maps.

Republicans drew blatantly illegal maps then tried to game the system by going through the courts rather than the Department of Justice. Yet even the courts threw their dirty maps out the window. The courts said what we’ve been saying all along. These illegal maps trample on the voting rights of Texans and don’t allow voters to elect their candidates of choice.

The real losers in this process are the voters. Texas voters are seeing Republican discrimination and obstructionism at all levels but don’t know which Republicans they’ll have a chance to vote against this election cycle.

This entire process could have been avoided if Republicans would have drawn maps based on demographics rather than their own shallow political ambitions.”