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Supreme Court sides with Texas in racial gerrymandering case

Supreme Court building. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call

The ideologically divided Supreme Court on Monday pushed aside claims that Texas’ Republican-controlled legislature intentionally drew electoral maps, used in the last three election cycles, to reduce black and Hispanic voters’ political clout.

The details: The 5-4 conservative-majority decision threw out most of a lower court ruling that said Republicans intentionally designed two congressional districts and nine state legislative districts to suppressed black and Hispanic voters. The high court found that race was a predominant factor in deciding a state House district, but concluded evidence presented was "plainly insufficient" to prove lawmakers "acted in bad faith."

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Rebecca Falconer
1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

UN poll: Most see climate change as global emergency during pandemic

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg (C) fronts a Fridays For Future protest at the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm in September. Photo: Jonathan Nacksrtrand/AFP via Getty Images

64% of people from around the world say climate change is a global emergency, a United Nations poll published Wednesday finds.

Why it matters: It's the biggest global survey on climate change ever conducted, with some 1.2 million participants from 50 countries — including the U.S., where 65% of those surveyed view climate change as an emergency.

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Lachlan Markay
8 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Collins helps contractor before pro-Susan PAC gets donation

Sen. Susan Collins during her reelection campaign. Photo: Scott Eisen/Getty Images

A PAC backing Sen. Susan Collins in her high-stakes reelection campaign received $150,000 from an entity linked to the wife of a defense contractor whose firm Collins helped land a federal contract, new public records show.

Why it matters: The executive, Martin Kao of Honolulu, leaned heavily on his political connections to boost his business, federal prosecutors say in an ongoing criminal case against him. The donation linked to Kao was veiled until last week.

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Lachlan Markay
8 hours ago - Politics & Policy

How cutting GOP corporate cash could backfire

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Companies pulling back on political donations, particularly to members of Congress who voted against certifying President Biden's election win, could inadvertently push Republicans to embrace their party's rightward fringe.

Why it matters: Scores of corporate PACs have paused, scaled back or entirely abandoned their political giving programs. While designed to distance those companies from events that coincided with this month's deadly siege on the U.S. Capitol, research suggests the moves could actually empower the far-right.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow