Dēmos: Allen v. Milligan Exposes Urgent Need for SCOTUS Reform

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Taifa Smith Butler, President of Dēmos, a movement-oriented think tank committed to racial justice, released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court decision in Allen v. Milligan:  

"Today, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Black voters and the Voting Rights Act. This victory belongs to the Black organizers and voting advocates in Alabama. Their leadership is a major win for Black voters in Alabama and states like Louisiana. It further protects other communities across the country as they fight for fair maps. 

This victory belongs to the Black organizers and voting advocates in Alabama. Their leadership is a major win for Black voters in Alabama and states like Louisiana. It further protects other communities across the country as they fight for fair maps. 

“This is a legal victory, but there is more work to be done. Such an extreme case should have never reached the Supreme Court in the first place. Allen v. Milligan was a blatant attempt to minimize Black political power in Alabama. Ahead of the 2022 midterms, this Court used its shadow docket to reinstate the racially gerrymandered maps before evaluating the merits of the case.  Today’s ruling upholding the Voting Rights Act and declaring those maps illegal highlights how the shadow docket can be used to disenfranchise black and brown communities.  

“This case highlights the urgent need for comprehensive federal voting rights legislation and Supreme Court reform. We need bold reform that will strengthen the integrity and fairness of our judicial system and empower Black communities in choosing their representatives and not the other way around.” 

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