logo
Greg Abbott accused of trying to ‘fix' midterms for Republicans by redrawing congressional maps

Greg Abbott accused of trying to ‘fix' midterms for Republicans by redrawing congressional maps

Yahoo6 days ago
Greg Abbott, the Texas governor, has been accused by political opponents of trying to 'fix' next year's midterms in favor of Republicans after he announced a plan that would see a wide-scale redrawing of the state's congressional districts.
The move was contained in Abbott's list of priorities for the upcoming legislative session published on Wednesday. It features several items related to the deadly Hill Country flooding that killed at least 120 people and left dozens more missing, including instructions for lawmakers to look at early warning systems and improving disaster preparation.
But Abbott's directive to redraw congressional maps, which the Texas Tribune reported on Wednesday, was in response from a Trump administration demand for more Republican seats to preserve or expand the party's narrow House majority, and has angered Democrats.
In a statement, the National Democratic Redistricting Committee called the move 'an attack on democracy'.
Related: Redrawing Texas: the Republican plan to stack the decks for the midterms
John Bisognano, the group's president, said: 'Despite the fact that Texas is in a state of emergency, instead of focusing on the wellbeing of his constituents, Governor Abbott's focus is how Republicans can enact a mid-decade gerrymander to secure unearned power ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
'Texas's congressional map already silences the voices of thousands of Texans. That's why Texas voters have spent the last three years in court challenging it for violating the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
'Now, Texas Republicans want to enact an even more egregious gerrymander, because they are afraid of voters who are furious with their unpopular Maga [make America great again] agenda and horrific budget bill.'
The Texas legislative session is scheduled to begin on 21 July, and Republicans hold a sizable majority in both houses that will probably allow Abbott's conservative agenda, which also includes an anti-trans bathroom bill and a clampdown on abortion pills, to progress smoothly.
Texas has 38 seats in the House of Representatives, the second largest of all states behind California, which has 52. Currently 25 are held by Republicans, 12 by Democrats, with one vacancy, the 18th district that was represented by the Democrat Sylvester Turner until his death in March.
Abbott drew criticism in April when he set a special election in the safe Democratic seat for 4 November, the latest possible date, helping to preserve the House Republican majority and leaving district voters unrepresented for seven months.
Republicans passed Donald Trump's sweeping tax-and-spending bill in the House this month by a 218-214 vote, with three safe Democratic seats, in Texas, Arizona and Virginia, unoccupied after the deaths of the incumbents.
Democratic leaders expect Texas lawmakers will attempt to repeat tactics used by Republicans in other states to create new Republican districts by moving blocks of their voters into Democratic areas.
Redistricting moves in North Carolina ahead of the 2024 election changed a split 7-7 delegation into a 10-4 Republican advantage, helping secure a loyal majority for Trump. A six-day trial over the legality of the redistricting wrapped up in Winston-Salem this week with a verdict expected in August.
Abbott has said there is a need to redraw his state's maps citing a letter from the justice department, authored by Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general in its civil rights division, and a former Trump campaign lawyer, arguing that four Texas districts had previously been 'racially gerrymandered' to benefit Democrats.
Related: Republicans toe Trump line even in aftermath of deadly Texas floods
Gina Hinojosa, a Democratic state representative, told the New York Times that Abbott's move was a 'blatant partisan power grab' while search and recovery operations were continuing following the weekend floods.
'I've been disappointed in this governor before but I've never been so thoroughly disgusted,' she said. 'The governor is so heartless as to do this right now?'
Hakeem Jeffries, the New York congressman and Democratic House leader, echoed her views, and those of Bisognano, in a post to X.
'While Texans battle tragic and deadly flooding, Governor Abbott and House Republicans are plotting a mid-decade gerrymander. They should be modernizing emergency response — not rigging maps,' he wrote.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump to check out Federal Reserve's pricey renovations
Trump to check out Federal Reserve's pricey renovations

Yahoo

time24 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Trump to check out Federal Reserve's pricey renovations

The Federal Reserve, known for its tight lips, structured formality and extraordinary power to shape the global economy, finds itself putting out the welcome mat for President Donald Trump. Trump and his allies say a $US2.5 billion ($A3.8 billion) renovation of the Fed headquarters and a neighbouring building reflects an institution run amok — a belief they hope to verify in a Thursday afternoon tour of the construction site. The Fed allowed reporters to tour the building before the visit by Trump, who in his real estate career, has bragged about his lavish spending on architectural accoutrements that gave a Versailles-like golden flair to his buildings. The visit is an attempt to further ratchet up pressure on Fed Chair Jerome Powell, whom the Republican president has relentlessly attacked for not cutting borrowing costs. Trump's attacks have put the Fed, a historically independent institution, under a harsh spotlight. Undermining its independence could reduce the Fed's ability to calm financial markets and stabilise the US economy. "This stubborn guy at the Fed just doesn't get it — Never did, and never will," Trump said Wednesday on Truth Social. "The Board should act, but they don't have the Courage to do so!" On Thursday, reporters wound through cement mixers, front loaders, and plastic pipes as they got a close-up view of the active construction site that encompasses the Fed's historic headquarters, known as the Marriner S Eccles building, and a second building across 20th Street in Washington. Fed staff pointed out new blast-resistant windows and seismic walls that were needed to comply with modern building codes and security standards set out by the Department of Homeland Security. The Fed has to build with the highest level of security in mind, Fed staff said, including something called "progressive collapse," in which only parts of the building would fall if hit with explosives. Sensitivity to the president's pending visit among Fed staff was high during the tour. Reporters were ushered into a small room outside the Fed's boardroom, where 19 officials meet eight times a year to decide whether to change short-term interest rates. The room, which will have a security booth, is oval-shaped, and someone had written "Oval Office" on plywood walls. The Fed staff downplayed the inscription as a joke. When reporters returned through the room later, it had been painted over. Plans for the renovation were first approved by the Fed's governing board in 2017. Fed staff also said tariffs and inflationary increases in building material costs also drove up costs. Trump in 2018 imposed a 25 per cent duty on steel and 10 per cent on aluminum. Steel prices are up about 60 per cent since the plans were approved in June, while construction materials costs overall are up about 50 per cent, according to government data. Fed staff also pointed to the complication of historic renovations — both buildings have significant preservation needs. Constructing a new building on an empty site would have been cheaper. The Fed has previously attributed much of the project's cost to underground construction. It is also adding three underground levels of parking for its second building. Initially, the central bank proposed building more above ground, but ran into Washington, DC's height restrictions, forcing more underground construction. When construction began in 2022, the Fed estimated the cost at $US1.9 billion ($A2.9 billion), and it has since grown by about 30 per cent. Trump wants Powell to dramatically slash the Fed's benchmark interest rate under the belief that inflation is not a problem, but Powell wants to see how Trump's tariffs impact the economy before making any rate cuts that could potentially cause inflation to accelerate. The renovation project has emerged as the possible justification by Trump to take the extraordinary step of firing Powell for cause, an act that some administration officials have played down, given that the Fed chair's term ends in May 2026. Pushing Powell out also would almost certainly jolt global markets, potentially having the opposite effect that Trump wants as he pushes for lower borrowing costs. When asked last week if the costly rebuilding could be grounds to fire Powell, Trump said, "I think it sort of is". Sign in to access your portfolio

Supreme Court pauses ruling that weakened 1965 Voting Rights Act
Supreme Court pauses ruling that weakened 1965 Voting Rights Act

USA Today

time25 minutes ago

  • USA Today

Supreme Court pauses ruling that weakened 1965 Voting Rights Act

A lower court severely limited who can bring discrimination challenges under the landmark 1965 law. WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court paused a lower court's ruling limiting who can sue under the under the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act, a move backed by civil rights groups and other advocates. Over the objections of three conservative justices, the high court on July 24 put a ruling by the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on hold while two Native American tribes appeal it. If allowed to stand, the appeals court's decision would severely undermine enforcement of the law. It said only the U.S. attorney general is authorized to sue under a key section of the law, meaning voters, Native American tribes and groups like the NAACP would be barred from doing so. In this case, the tribes and three voters challenged a state legislative map in North Dakota they said dilutes the voting power of Native Americans. A federal district judge agreed, but the appeals court said vote dilution claims cannot be enforced through lawsuits brought by individual voters or groups. The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and the Spirit Lake Tribe called that decision a 'knee-cap' to the nation's 'most important civil rights statute.' Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act bars voting practices or procedures that discriminate on the basis of race, color or other characteristics. In a brief supporting the tribes, the NAACP said the history of that section 'has been written largely through private enforcement.' But North Dakota's attorney general argues Congress did not clearly intend a private enforcement right when the act became law decades ago. The state also said the Supreme Court should keep the appeals court's decision in effect for now to allow the 2026 elections to be conducted under the map challenged by the tribes. That map eliminated two of the three legislative districts in which Native American voters could elect their preferred candidates. Three justices − Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch − said they would have kept the decision in place while the Supreme Court considers whether to hear the tribes' appeal. The appeals court's decision affects voting rights litigation in seven states: Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Republican attorneys general in most of those states and a few others filed a brief backing the appeals court's decision. More: Supreme Court defers decision on challenge to Louisiana congressional map The Supreme Court is still deciding how to resolve a dispute over Louisiana's congressional districts that involves an interplay between the Voting Rights Act and a racial gerrymandering challenge. Instead of issuing a decision, the court announced in June that it will hear new arguments in its next term.

U.S. cuts short its Gaza ceasefire talks and accuses Hamas of lacking ‘good faith'
U.S. cuts short its Gaza ceasefire talks and accuses Hamas of lacking ‘good faith'

Los Angeles Times

time25 minutes ago

  • Los Angeles Times

U.S. cuts short its Gaza ceasefire talks and accuses Hamas of lacking ‘good faith'

The United States is cutting short Gaza ceasefire talks and bringing its negotiating team home from Qatar for consultations after the latest response from Hamas 'shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza,' President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said Thursday. 'While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith,' Witkoff said in a statement. 'We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza.' It was unclear what 'alternative options' the U.S. was considering. The White House had no immediate comment, and the State Department did not immediately respond to messages. A breakthrough in talks on a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has eluded Trump's administration for months as conditions worsen in Gaza. The territory recently had its deadliest day yet for aid-seekers in over 21 months of war, with at least 85 Palestinians killed while trying to reach food Sunday. The sides have held weeks of talks in Qatar, reporting small signs of progress but no major breakthroughs. Officials have said a main sticking point is the redeployment of Israeli troops after any ceasefire takes place. Witkoff said the U.S. is 'resolute' in seeking an end to the conflict in Gaza and it was 'a shame that Hamas has acted in this selfish way.' Earlier Thursday, Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu's office recalled his country's negotiating team back to Israel in light of Hamas' response. In a brief statement, the prime minister's office expressed its appreciation for the efforts of Witkoff and mediators Qatar and Egypt, but it gave no further details. The deal under discussion is expected to include an initial 60-day ceasefire in which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others in phases in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Aid supplies would be ramped up and the two sides would hold negotiations on a lasting ceasefire. The talks have been bogged down over competing demands for ending the war. Hamas says it will only release all hostages in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal and end to the war. Israel says it will not agree to end the war until Hamas gives up power and disarms, a condition the militant group rejects. Hamas is believed to be holding the hostages in different locations, including tunnels, and says it has ordered its guards to kill them if Israeli forces approach. The breakdown in talks is the latest setback for Trump as he's tried to position himself as peacemaker and made little secret of the fact he wants to receive a Nobel Peace Prize. The Republican president also had promised to quickly negotiate an end to Russia's war in Ukraine, but little progress has been made there, either. With the war in Gaza, Trump earlier this month met with Netanyahu at the White House, putting his weight behind a push to reach a breakthrough and a ceasefire agreement. But despite Trump's newly strengthened partnership with Netanyahu following their countries' joint strikes on Iran, the Israeli leader left Washington without any announced breakthrough. The State Department said earlier in the week that Witkoff would be traveling to the Middle East for talks, but U.S. officials later said that Witkoff would instead travel to Europe. It was unclear if he was holding meetings there Thursday. The apparent derailing of the talks comes as Israel's blockade and military offensive have driven Gaza to the brink of famine, according to aid groups. The U.N. food agency says nearly 100,000 women and children are suffering from severe, acute malnutrition, and the Gaza Health Ministry has reported a rise in hunger-related deaths. Israel has come under mounting pressure, with 28 Western-aligned countries calling for an end to the war and harshly criticizing Israel's blockade and a new aid delivery model it has rolled out. More than 100 charity and human rights groups released a similar letter, saying that even their own staff are struggling to get enough food. The U.S. and Israel rejected the allegations and blamed Hamas for prolonging the war by not accepting their terms for a ceasefire. Israel says it is allowing in enough aid and blames U.N. agencies for not distributing it. But those agencies say it is nearly impossible to safely deliver it because of Israeli restrictions and a breakdown of law and order, with crowds of thousands unloading food trucks as soon as they move into Gaza. A separate Israeli-backed system run by an American contractor has also been marred by chaos. Price and Krauss write for the Associated Press. Krauss reported from Ottawa, Canada. AP writers Josef Federman and Julia Frankel in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store