Legislative Black Caucus Leaders and Arkansas Democratic Party Chair Respond to SCOTUS Decision Gutting Voting Rights Act

LITTLE ROCK- Legislative and Democratic Party leaders are responding to the Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which gutted a core requirement of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and opens the door to racial gerrymandering - particularly in the South, where Republican lawmakers have already signaled their intent to dilute the voting power of minority communities.

Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus Rep. Jay Richardson (D-Fort Smith) said: "Today is a dark day for America - the Supreme Court just rolled back the clock on the Civil Rights Movement. This decision effectively guts Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, a major step back in the fight for racial justice and fair representation. Racial gerrymandering has no place in our democracy, and the hard-won right to vote must be protected for all Americans."

Vice Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus Sen. Jamie Scott (D-North Little Rock) said, "With this ruling, the Court has turned its back on decades of precedent to undercut the voting power of Black, Latino, and other minority communities in Arkansas and across the country, erasing reforms fought for by Civil Rights leaders a generation ago. While this is a major setback in our fight for racial justice and equal representation, make no mistake - Arkansas Democrats and Black legislative leaders won't stop fighting for your right to vote and be represented in the Natural State."

Arkansas Democratic Party Chair Col. Marcus Jones (Ret.) said, "Today's SCOTUS decision is a tragedy, and voter suppression in any form is un-American. The GOP knows that their approval rating is tanking and their only hope to maintain control of Congress is to redraw the maps to benefit them and to disenfranchise voters of color. There's no doubt the fault lies at the feet of the Republican Party. This is exactly why Americans must use their power to guarantee their values are represented at every level of government. Remember, if your vote weren't powerful, they wouldn't be trying to steal it."