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Lawmakers and advocates press DOJ to explain letter behind Texas special session; legal experts say the letter’s reading of case law is contested
Summary
Committee members and civil‑rights groups asked the Department of Justice to testify about a July letter that prompted Governor Abbott to call a special session; legal witnesses told the committee the DOJ letter mischaracterizes precedent and that redrawing maps mid‑decade would raise serious Voting Rights Act and constitutional issues.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Members of the Texas House Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting and numerous witnesses called on the U.S. Department of Justice to explain a July letter that asked Texas to redraw certain congressional districts, pressing the agency to appear before the committee and to answer legal questions about the letter’s interpretation of federal case law.
Representative Chris Turner and other committee members said DOJ’s involvement is central to the committee’s work. "It is essential that we hear from the Department of Justice," Turner told the panel, and he urged the chair to consider a subpoena if DOJ does not appear voluntarily.
Several witnesses and resource‑level legal experts told the committee that the Justice Department’s letter — which flagged several majority‑minority districts and…
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