Articles

The Leadership Conference tries hard to convince itself that Americans support the Voting Rights Act

October 21, 2014 | By JOSHUA THOMPSON

Everyone knows that pollsters can design questions that elicit the results they want. Indeed, even very subtle changes in poll questions can show that Americans either support or disapprove of any particular person or policy. That’s why reputable polling organizations take great pains to develop questions that are nonpartisan and objecti ...

Articles

PLF files brief in the Supreme Court opposing race-based redistricting

October 16, 2014 | By CHRIS KIESER

We have previously blogged about the latest redistricting controversy to reach the Supreme Court. In these two combined cases, styled Alabama Legislative Black Caucus v. Alabama and Alabama Democratic Conference v. Alabama, the plaintiffs contend that the redistricting plan for the Alabama Senate and House of Representatives is an unconstitutional ...

Articles

Shelby County a month later : Has the sky fallen on minority voting rights?

July 30, 2013 | By JOSHUA THOMPSON

When the Supreme Court issued Shelby County v. Holder last month, Chicken Littles on the left almost immediately began shouting that is was “a blow to democracy,” or that it obstructs “Americans’ fundamental right to vote,” or even that “the Court has left millions of minority voters without the mechanism that h ...

Articles

Victory in Shelby County v. Holder

June 25, 2013 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

It’s been a big day here at PLF.  On top of our momentous win in our direct representation Supreme Court property rights case, Koontz v. St. Johns River Water Management District, we also had a long-anticipated victory in the Voting Rights Act case, Shelby County v. Holder, where we participated as amicus.  Shelby was a … ...

Articles

There is no longer any black/white racial gap in voting

May 21, 2013 | By JOSHUA THOMPSON

Readers of this blog know that PLF has been heavily involved in Shelby County v. Holder — a case currently pending before the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.  PLF believes that the law has outlived its purpose, and that it forces “covered” jurisdictions to engage in uncon ...

Articles

PLF's Joshua Thompson will be in studio with Armstrong & Getty tomorrow at 8 am

February 26, 2013 | By JOSHUA THOMPSON

After speaking with southern California radio this afternoon, I will be speaking to northern Californians tomorrow. I will be in studio with long-time PLF friends Armstrong & Getty. We will be discussing Shelby County and the Supreme Court. I am sure the discussion will branch into other PLF cases. You can listen online here. … ...

Articles

National Review Online publishes PLF essay on Shelby County

February 26, 2013 | By JOSHUA THOMPSON

Roger Clegg and I penned this essay on Shelby County v. Holder, the case challenging the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.  Shelby County is going to be argued before the Supreme Court tomorrow.  Here’s the conclusion of the essay: The Left is crying that the Supreme Court of Chief Justice Roberts is poised … ...

Articles

PLF's Joshua Thompson will be on Los Angeles/Orange County radio tomorrow at noon to discuss Shelby County

February 25, 2013 | By JOSHUA THOMPSON

Tomorrow, I will be apprearing on Southern California public radio — KPCC 89.3 — to discuss the upcoming oral argument in Shelby County v. Holder.  I will be debating someone who supports Section 5. You can listen live here. … ...

Articles

SCOTUSblog symposium on the upcoming oral argument in Shelby County

February 12, 2013 | By JOSHUA THOMPSON

SCOTUSblog is running a very interesting symposium on the upcoming oral argument in Shelby County v. Holder, the case challenging the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.  Here’s a snippet from my contribution: To the extent that the oral argument focuses on the unconstitutional – but easily remedied – coverage formu ...