Archive for the ‘Judicial’ Category

8th CD: Courier & Press on Trent Van Haaften

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Over the weekend, Eric Bradner of the Evansville Courier & Press penned a profile piece on 8th Congressional District candidate Trent Van Haaften. Taking a look at the legislative career of the moderate Democrat, players from both parties were quick to praise the work of the former Posey County prosecutor.

But as he leaves behind a Statehouse in which his star was on the rise among Democratic leaders, the question is, will such a campaign resonate?

The House Public Policy Committee, which Van Haaften chairs, is assigned bills related to the regulation of drugs, gambling and alcohol, as well as crime and sentencing. He won praise from fellow committee members for his handling of those issues.

“I think Trent’s been a phenomenal committee chairman,” said Rep. Matt Bell of Avilla, the top-ranking Republican on the committee.

Bell said on that legislative panel, “we are able to work in a bipartisan fashion. These are not issues that fall on party lines. And he’s promoted that culture of exchange.”

Posted in Indiana General Assembly, Judicial | No Comments »

Supreme Court Strikes Down Expanded Voting Rights Protections

Tuesday, March 10th, 2009

Champions of equality and justice, keep your eye on the ramifications of a Supreme Court decision handed down yesterday that rejects expanded voting rights protections for minorities and could have an effect on the redrawing of legislative districts after next year’s U.S. Census:

By a 5-4 vote, the court’s conservative majority ruled that electoral districts must have a majority of blacks or other minorities to be protected by a provision of the Voting Rights Act.

The law, adopted in 1965 and considered a landmark in civil rights legislation, is designed to protect the rights of racial minorities.

The U.S. Constitution requires that the Census be taken every 10 years. Boundaries for legislative election districts are then redrawn to take into account changes in population.

Civil rights groups said the ruling could result in more districts with minorities constituting less than half the population, diluting their voting strength.

The ruling involved a district for the North Carolina House of Representatives where black voters made up less than half of the population. With limited support from white voters, a black candidate has been elected to represent the district in the past.

The district was redrawn and reduced the population of blacks over voting age to 39 percent. The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled the voting rights law does not apply to districts where a minority group accounted for less than half the population.

Civil rights groups said the ruling could result in districts that dilute the voting strength of black voters, while the state in appealing the decision said issue will affect the voting rights of minorities throughout the country.

Posted in Congress, Judicial | No Comments »