Political Quotes

“It is addressed to the Justice Department, Civil Rights Division. There is a part of this letter that addresses the allegation that Texas engaged in race-based gerrymandering. There are two pages. The attorney general has in bold print, the only bold print on the pages, these words: ``The Texas Legislature did not pass race-based electoral districts for any of'' some three maps that are discussed in the letter, which includes the maps that are addressed by the Department of Justice. By the way, the President made the request that this be done. The attorney general for the State of Texas said, no, they don't do business like that. They don't draw lines to benefit people of color. They draw their lines to gain some partisan advantage. Let me read just a little bit more of what it says in this one paragraph. It says: The evidence at the trial--there was a trial concerning the maps that the Justice Department is referencing. ``The evidence at that trial was clear and unequivocal. The Texas Legislature did not pass race-based electoral districts for any of those three political maps.'' Texas State Senator Joan Huffman, who chaired the Senate Committee on Redistricting, testified under oath that she drew Texas districts blind to race. Remember the Justice Department said Texas needs to redraw these lines. The exact words are unconstitutional race-based congressional districts.…”