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Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Judges weigh preclearance requirement for Alabama congressional plans
Federal judges on Tuesday sharply questioned lawyers on a request to make Alabama subject again to the preclearance requirement of the Voting Rights Act after courts ruled the state intentionally diluted the voting strength of Black residents. Black voters and civil rights organizations, who brought a lawsuit that gave Alabama a new congressional map, are asking a three-judge panel to require any new congressional plans drawn in the next seven years go through federal review. The Alabama attorney general and the U.S. Department of Justice oppose the request. The Voting Rights Act for decades required states with a history of discrimination — including many in the South — to get federal approval before changing the way they hold elections. But the requirement of preclearance effectively went away in 2013 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the provision determining which states are covered was outdated and unconstitutional. The request is seeking to trigger the 'bail-in' provision of the Voting Rights Act. Alternatively, plaintiffs are asking the court to retain jurisdiction so any new plans can be addressed. Deuel Ross, an attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said Alabama demonstrated a pattern of resistance to drawing a congressional map that was fair to Black voters. He said the preclearance is needed to ensure Alabama doesn't 'backslide' the next time maps are drawn. 'There is no question what happened in this case extraordinary,' Ross told the panel. He pointed to the history of the case, including that lawmakers in 2023 'intentionally defied' a court order to draw a second majority-Black district or something close to it. Judges stepped in to select a new map for the state that was used in the 2024 elections. Alabama Solicitor General Edmund LaCour Jr. argued to the court that preclearance is an extraordinary remedy that is only appropriate after multiple violations. 'That test is not satisfied here,' LaCour told the panel. During the hearing, the judges asked if there were less stringent remedies than preclearance. However, U.S. District Judge Terry Moorer told LaCour said the best way to predict what someone will do is to 'look at what they have been doing.' He asked if the state expected to be 'divorced' from its history and noted the actions of state lawmakers 'Hasn't the state shown us who they are?' Moorer told LaCour. LaCour responded that the situation is different than when Congress created preclearance as part of the 1965 voting law. 'An attempt to persuade a court is far different than the attempt to evade a court that was happening in the 1950s and 1960s,' LaCour said. The same three-judge panel in May permanently blocked Alabama from using the state-drawn map that they said flouted their directive to draw a plan that was fair to Black voters. The state is appealing that decision.
3 days ago
- Politics
Judges weigh preclearance requirement for Alabama congressional plans
Federal judges on Tuesday sharply questioned lawyers on a request to make Alabama subject again to the preclearance requirement of the Voting Rights Act after courts ruled the state intentionally diluted the voting strength of Black residents. Black voters and civil rights organizations, who brought a lawsuit that gave Alabama a new congressional map, are asking a three-judge panel to require any new congressional plans drawn in the next seven years go through federal review. The Alabama attorney general and the U.S. Department of Justice oppose the request. The Voting Rights Act for decades required states with a history of discrimination — including many in the South — to get federal approval before changing the way they hold elections. But the requirement of preclearance effectively went away in 2013 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the provision determining which states are covered was outdated and unconstitutional. The request is seeking to trigger the 'bail-in' provision of the Voting Rights Act. Alternatively, plaintiffs are asking the court to retain jurisdiction so any new plans can be addressed. Deuel Ross, an attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said Alabama demonstrated a pattern of resistance to drawing a congressional map that was fair to Black voters. He said the preclearance is needed to ensure Alabama doesn't 'backslide' the next time maps are drawn. 'There is no question what happened in this case extraordinary,' Ross told the panel. He pointed to the history of the case, including that lawmakers in 2023 'intentionally defied' a court order to draw a second majority-Black district or something close to it. Judges stepped in to select a new map for the state that was used in the 2024 elections. Alabama Solicitor General Edmund LaCour Jr. argued to the court that preclearance is an extraordinary remedy that is only appropriate after multiple violations. 'That test is not satisfied here,' LaCour told the panel. During the hearing, the judges asked if there were less stringent remedies than preclearance. However, U.S. District Judge Terry Moorer told LaCour said the best way to predict what someone will do is to 'look at what they have been doing.' He asked if the state expected to be 'divorced' from its history and noted the actions of state lawmakers 'Hasn't the state shown us who they are?' Moorer told LaCour. LaCour responded that the situation is different than when Congress created preclearance as part of the 1965 voting law. 'An attempt to persuade a court is far different than the attempt to evade a court that was happening in the 1950s and 1960s,' LaCour said. The same three-judge panel in May permanently blocked Alabama from using the state-drawn map that they said flouted their directive to draw a plan that was fair to Black voters. The state is appealing that decision.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Judges weigh preclearance requirement for Alabama congressional plans
Federal judges on Tuesday sharply questioned lawyers on a request to make Alabama subject again to the preclearance requirement of the Voting Rights Act after courts ruled the state intentionally diluted the voting strength of Black residents. Black voters and civil rights organizations, who brought a lawsuit that gave Alabama a new congressional map, are asking a three-judge panel to require any new congressional plans drawn in the next seven years go through federal review. The Alabama attorney general and the U.S. Department of Justice oppose the request. The Voting Rights Act for decades required states with a history of discrimination — including many in the South — to get federal approval before changing the way they hold elections. But the requirement of preclearance effectively went away in 2013 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the provision determining which states are covered was outdated and unconstitutional. The request is seeking to trigger the 'bail-in' provision of the Voting Rights Act. Alternatively, plaintiffs are asking the court to retain jurisdiction so any new plans can be addressed. Deuel Ross, an attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said Alabama demonstrated a pattern of resistance to drawing a congressional map that was fair to Black voters. He said the preclearance is needed to ensure Alabama doesn't 'backslide' the next time maps are drawn. 'There is no question what happened in this case extraordinary,' Ross told the panel. He pointed to the history of the case, including that lawmakers in 2023 'intentionally defied' a court order to draw a second majority-Black district or something close to it. Judges stepped in to select a new map for the state that was used in the 2024 elections. Alabama Solicitor General Edmund LaCour Jr. argued to the court that preclearance is an extraordinary remedy that is only appropriate after multiple violations. 'That test is not satisfied here,' LaCour told the panel. During the hearing, the judges asked if there were less stringent remedies than preclearance. However, U.S. District Judge Terry Moorer told LaCour said the best way to predict what someone will do is to 'look at what they have been doing.' He asked if the state expected to be 'divorced' from its history and noted the actions of state lawmakers 'Hasn't the state shown us who they are?' Moorer told LaCour. LaCour responded that the situation is different than when Congress created preclearance as part of the 1965 voting law. 'An attempt to persuade a court is far different than the attempt to evade a court that was happening in the 1950s and 1960s,' LaCour said. The same three-judge panel in May permanently blocked Alabama from using the state-drawn map that they said flouted their directive to draw a plan that was fair to Black voters. The state is appealing that decision.
Daily Mail
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Blake Lively speaks of 'uplifting' others 'to live boldly' after being listed among 100 most influential people
Blake Lively has praised those who 'uplift' others to 'live boldly' after being named one of TIME's 100 most influential people of 2025. Brushing off her recent legal dramas, the 37-year-old actress spoke of the importance of being given a 'voice.' It comes amid a difficult year for the Hollywood star, who is embroiled in a nasty legal dispute with Justin Baldoni, her co-star on It Ends With Us. Blake brushed off the ongoing scandal as she took to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday. She wrote: 'Thank you for the honor. I'm able to see this moment, almost looking back from the future, or looking ahead from childhood, and from every time period I can see how profound this is to me. 'Not just to be included, but to have a voice. It's a fortunate thing, when it should be a given. 'So thank you to @time and to each of you who uplift the many who live boldly, even when it's scary.' She also thanked civil rights attorney Sherrilyn Ifill - who was head of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund when Blake and her husband Ryan Reynolds gave $1 million to the organization in 2019 - for providing a glowing tribute in honor of her. 'Thank you @sherrilynifill for your words. Since the day I met you, you have shown me grace, kindness, curiosity, wisdom, strength, knowledge and the power of the female fire to illuminate in times of darkness,' she continued. 'You constantly illustrate how connected we all are and can be when division feels like the only ending. 'Thank you for your light, your fire, your work and your words.' The Gossip Girl star featured in the Titans section alongside the likes of tennis star Serena Williams, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and podcast star Joe Rogan. Netflix chief Ted Sarandos, fashion designer Miuccia Prada, Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, and Palantir CEO Alex Karp also received recognition. In her testimonial, Sherrilyn hailed Blake as a 'philanthropist' and a 'serious person' who was 'committed to move this country forward'. 'I don't know the Blake Lively of the red carpet. Or the Met Gala. I never watched Gossip Girl,' Sherrilyn wrote. 'The Blake Lively I know is a philanthropist and a student of our country's most intractable problems. She and her husband Ryan Reynolds reached out in 2019 to make a contribution to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.' 'I'm always curious about the kind of research famous people do before they make that cold call to offer their support,' she added. 'The ones I have remained in relationship with are those who, like Blake, really did their homework.' Sherrilyn wrote that she 'admired immediately her curiosity, and her sincere work to understand the conditions that shape this country.'
Fox News
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds crack jokes on Time100 carpet as they fight legal battle
NEW YORK CITY – Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds stepped out for the Time100 gala as the actors remain in the thick of their legal battle against Justin Baldoni. Lively wore a strapless pink dress with her blonde hair styled down and to the side. The "Gossip Girl" alum tied the look together with a pair of statement green earrings. Reynolds wore a classic black suit with a bow tie during the rare outing with his wife. The couple flashed big smiles as they posed for pictures on the red carpet prior to the event at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 24. On the carpet, Lively said, "It's so nice without the yelling." Reynolds chimed in, "I know, right. It's so cordial." Reynolds also joked about the pair standing together, saying, "We do singles too. Don't worry. She'll leave." At one point, the press asked that Reynolds and Lively move down the carpet, and Reynolds jokingly said, "I'll f--- off. Don't worry." Prior to the event, Lively was named a "Titan" on the Time100 most influential people list, which sparked controversy online amid her legal battle with Baldoni. WATCH: BLAKE LIVELY, RYAN REYNOLDS CRACK JOKES ON TIME100 CARPET AS THEY FIGHT LEGAL BATTLE Lively and Baldoni took their filming feud to the next level by filing lawsuits against each other. The actress accused Baldoni of sexual harassment while the two filmed "It Ends With Us." The actor denied the allegations. While the two battle it out in an increasingly heated legal conflict, the "Gossip Girl" star was praised by civil rights activist Sherrilyn Ifill in the Time100 profile of the actress. "I don't know the Blake Lively of the red carpet. Or the Met Gala. I never watched 'Gossip Girl.' The Blake Lively I know is a philanthropist and a student of our country's most intractable problems," Ifill wrote for Time. "She and her husband Ryan Reynolds reached out in 2019 to make a contribution to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. I had been getting a few of these calls, as our work fighting against voter suppression and police brutality was receiving national attention. I'm always curious about the kind of research famous people do before they make that cold call to offer their support. The ones I have remained in relationship with are those who, like Blake, really did their homework." WATCH: BLAKE LIVELY AND RYAN REYNOLDS WALKED THE RED CARPET TOGETHER AT THE TIME100 GALA Ifill, the former president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, opened up about one of the first moments she interacted with Lively. "I admired immediately her curiosity, and her sincere work to understand the conditions that shape this country," Ifill explained. "I remember an early conversation in which she expressed frustration that so much of our nation's history was not part of the instruction she had received as a student. Her commitment to filling those gaps — and becoming the most fully informed and prepared citizen — is what I appreciate most about her. Blake is a serious person. She's a risk taker. And she's committed to moving this country forward. For her children. And for mine." Many social media users were unhappy with Lively being included on the list, with many calling it a PR stunt. "Blake Lively?!?! good heavens, what did her PR team pay you to get her on that list?" one user wrote. Another added, "Blake Lively probably made the donation to the NAACP in 2019 after people found out she and her hubby were married on a plantation…" Others accepted Lively's placement on the list, believing she deserved it, with one X user writing, "another blake lively win." "Absolutely, Blake Lively's inclusion on TIME's 2025 100 Most Influential People list in the 'Titans' category is well-deserved. Sherrilyn Ifill praised her for her philanthropy and deep engagement with social issues, highlighting her as a risk-taker and informed citizen," one fan wrote in defense of the actress. "While her 2019 $2 million donation to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund is notable, it's part of a broader impact, not the sole reason for her recognition. Her work reflects a transformative commitment to social change." Lively sued Baldoni first for sexual harassment after the two starred together in the Colleen Hoover-adapted film "It Ends With Us." Since the premiere of the movie in August, Lively has also accused Baldoni of participating in a deliberate smear campaign to ruin her reputation. Baldoni later accused Lively of tormenting him, his family and colleagues in a lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York in January. Baldoni's legal team claimed Lively has no evidence of a deliberate smear campaign and instead worked to repair her reputation by accusing the actor and others of sexual harassment. Reynolds is also named in Baldoni's lawsuit against Lively. In documents related to the case, the "Deadpool" actor is accused of of "defamation, false light invasion of privacy, tortious interference, and civil extortion," and is referred to as a "co-conspirator." Lively and Baldoni's back-and-forth legal battle seemingly has no end in sight. After they filed their respective lawsuits against each other, the two have shown no signs of settling outside of court.
