Congress Members Want All in Political Map Talks
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Seven Texas members of Congress from Latino, African and Asian ancestry on Friday threatened to appeal any redistricting deal that does not include all the minority groups involved in the lawsuit over the state's political maps.
Nine groups representing minority groups, or politicians representing minorities, filed the lawsuit to block legislative and congressional maps drawn by the Republican-dominated Legislature. Those maps have failed to win judicial approval so temporary maps are needed pending the outcome of cases being fought in San Antonio and Washington.
When Attorney General Greg Abbott initiated talks last week to draft compromise maps for the 2012 election, he included only the Mexican American Legislative Caucus and a couple of other groups. That has angered the groups not invited to the negotiating table, and the seven members of Congress wrote the letter to demand their inclusion or warn of further legal wrangling.
"If one goes forward and negotiates an agreement, it should be with all the parties at the table if the desire of the state is to avoid an appeal," the letter said.
The federal court in San Antonio set a Monday deadline for all sides to reach a compromise on Texas' legislative and congressional maps, or see the April 3 primary election further delayed. The letter makes is clear that if all groups are not included in the talks over the weekend, they will file an appeal against a compromise and make an April 3 primary impossible.
The letter was signed by Democratic U.S. Representatives Sheila Jackson Lee, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Charles Gonzalez, Henry Cuellar, Silvestre Reyes, Al Green and Ruben Hinojosa. African American, Hispanic and Asian Texas legislators also signed the letter along with the Texas president of the NAACP and the lead attorney for the League of United Latin American Citizens.
Republicans are anxious to hold their primaries as soon as possible. The vote has already been delayed once from March 6, and Texas is losing the chance to play a role in choosing the Republican presidential nominee. Both political parties are concerned about possibly delaying their state conventions in June if the elections are delayed further.
"We want to join with you in making it possible to have an April election that you desire but we must insist that the interests of our various communities be protected," the letter to Abbott added.
The attorney general's office confirmed it had received the letter and spokeswoman Lauren Bean said they were still reviewing it.
The dispute arises under the Voting Rights Act, which protects racial and ethnic minorities from discrimination at polling places. Texas is one of nine states with a history of racial discrimination that must ask the Washington federal court or the U.S. Department of Justice to pre-approve any changes to state election laws.
