Staff Reports
The ACLU is at it again, this time taking aim at South Carolina’s congressional map like a marksman with a vendetta against accuracy. In a new lawsuit filed on behalf of the League of Women Voters of South Carolina, the ACLU has decided that the current map is a partisan gerrymander and somehow violates the state’s constitution. Because clearly, the best way to deal with losing at the ballot box is to try flipping the rules in a courtroom.
This latest legal challenge comes on the heels of a Supreme Court ruling that already determined the map was drawn lawfully and that it wasn’t racially gerrymandered. Apparently, the ACLU has decided to ignore this little detail, opting instead to claim that the map violates the constitution’s promises of “free and open” elections and equal rights for voters. It seems the organization thinks its interpretation of the law carries more weight than the findings of the Supreme Court. Who needs legal precedent when one can simply shout “gerrymander” from the rooftops?
@RepNancyMace @NancyMace
Knows this. How do you think she won. 🙄
Lawsuit alleges Nancy Mace’s congressional district is an unlawful partisan gerrymander #SouthCarolina #Legislaturehttps://t.co/alVyvuwhtQ— NikkiDee ✊🏾⚖️🤐🙅🏾♀️🛼🎓 (@MzDeeVah14) July 31, 2024
In their attempt to create a “fair” election landscape, the ACLU claims the map was designed to give an unfair advantage to Republicans. Imagine that—politicians drawing district lines to favor their party! It’s like saying a football team should notch down their score so the other team has a shot at winning. Never mind that the previous redistricting cycle already made districts more GOP-friendly; it appears any change that doesn’t align with Democrat ideals is now deemed unconstitutional.
The ACLU’s legal director for South Carolina expressed hope that the case will resonate with the state’s high court, asserting that partisanship in districting is essentially cheating. If that’s the case, one has to wonder why they don’t also shed light on the other kind of cheating, like trying to stall elections through endless lawsuits. The need to vote with neighbors and ensure equal vote weight is all well and good, but the irony is lost on no one—this whole situation signifies an apparent lack of confidence in voters themselves.
In response to this latest attack on the democratic process, the House Speaker of South Carolina argues that such lawsuits merely represent the frustration of special interest groups unable to win through honest ballots. Instead of engaging in proper representation and earning votes, the ACLU appears content with trying to strongarm its way into influence through judicial means. This entire episode highlights the lengths to which some will go to skew the rules while avoiding the will of the people in a representative government. For now, South Carolina’s congressional delegation remains a Republican stronghold, and the ACLU’s efforts will likely be seen as just another gambit in the ongoing struggle for control rather than a genuine fight for democracy.
