Congressman Mel Watt said today that the Republican redistricting plan tries to pack too many African-American voters into his 12th district and other places in the state.
The result, Watt said, “will almost certainly result in protracted and costly litigation, uncertainty and cynicism.”
“The Republicans have gone out of their way to pack African-American voters into the 12th District and in the process, have made races the compelling rationale for the proposed district,” said Watt, the former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.
“This is neither justified nor sanctioned by the Voting Rights Act,” Watt said. “It represents a disappointing effort by the Republicans to dilute and minimize the political influence of African-American votes in the Piedmont by packing all of them into the 12th district so none of them have influence in the adjoining districts. It also represents a sinister Republican effort to use African Americans as pawns in their effort to gain partisan, political gains in Congress.”
Comments
Jim Crow gerrymandered NC
July 6, 2011 - 6:57am — MalleusMaleficarumMel Watt is dead right. Jim Crow gerrymandered North Carolina. This blatant racist racial packing of districts to dissipate the impact of black votes is tantamount to apartheid. Segregationists better smile while they still can, because demographics will drive them out of office soon enough.
District 12
July 5, 2011 - 5:58pm — martinnhmDon't complain to Mel Watt. He's not in charge of drawing districts.
An Actual History of NC Redistricting
July 5, 2011 - 5:56pm — martinnhmSomewhere along the line the Republicans are forgetting the actual history of redistricting. Even tho' the Democrats were in charge of redistricting 10 years ago, they didn't try to ruin all the Republicans. Until Larry Kissell and Health Shuler won in 2008, North Carolina had seven Republicans and six Democrats. Now the Republicans want ten Republicans and three Democrats. Just a little history about who the fair party really is.
gerrymandered district
July 5, 2011 - 1:05pm — naturalcynicHey Mel, maybe you'd better take a look at a map. If you didn't have a gerrymandered district, you wouldn't have a seat. Sinister evil opposition, my foot.