TRANSCRIPT WITH THE RECEIPTS: Redistricting, Voter Suppression, and the SAVE Act
No one’s talking about this major voting rights case in Alabama.
A federal court found that congressional maps drawn by Alabama Republican legislators intentionally weakened Black voting power. (Alabama Reflector)
Black folks make up more than a quarter of the state, but candidates they preferred held just 1 of 7 U.S. House seats.
Now, civil rights groups are asking that Alabama’s maps be put back under federal oversight. It’s called pre-clearance, and it’s part of the Voting Rights Act.
Enter Trump’s Department of Justice. They’re siding with Alabama and claiming that any federal oversight would violate states’ rights. (DOJ Press Release)
What they’re really saying: states with a Jim Crow record should be free to gerrymander at will.
And this goes way beyond Alabama.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene wants to redraw every congressional district in the country — with Donald Trump’s full support. (The Hill) (MSNBC)
And in Texas, the Republican governor is pushing to redraw all of their congressional districts. He says the map is a racial gerrymander — the exact same claim being made by Trump’s DOJ. (The Guardian)
But just last month, that mapmaker testified that race wasn’t even part of the process. (Democracy Docket)
At the same time, Trump and extremist groups are trying to ram the SAVE Act through the U.S. Senate — a massive voter suppression bill that would block tens of millions of eligible voters. (Democracy Docket) (Pennsylvania Independent) (Democracy Docket) (Mother Jones)
Here they go again: trying to rig the rules so we can’t vote them out.
If they control who votes — and where those votes count — American democracy doesn’t stand a chance. (New York Times, gift link)
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Call your U.S. Senator (especially if they’re a Republican). Tell them to vote NO on the SAVE Act: (202) 224-3121
Support groups in Texas who fight back against unfair maps:
Don’t just post, share verified info directly. Send it in your group chats or DMs. Bypass the algorithm. Make sure your people see it.
