Balance of power at stake as judge sets pre-Thanksgiving timeline for Georgia redistricting ruling
Raw StoryThis article is part of U.S. Democracy Day, a nationwide collaborative on Sept. 15, the International Day of Democracy, in which news organizations cover how democracy works and the threats it faces. And now the question of whether Georgia’s GOP-drawn political maps illegally dilute Black voting strength is in the hands of federal Judge Steve Jones, who told both sides they could expect a ruling by Thanksgiving. Bryan Tyson, who is serving as special assistant attorney general, argued the plaintiffs’ mapmakers overly emphasized race in their alternative plans creating a new majority Black congressional district and multiple legislative districts. “The court should reject Georgia’s attempt to use gains made by the Black and minority community through sheer numbers to impose a ceiling on minority opportunity,” Khanna said. Khanna argued Georgia’s political maps shut Black voters out of halls of power.