Supreme Court Ruling Draws Criticism from Spike Lee and Politicians

In a recent CNN interview, Chief Justice Spike Lee commented on the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision regarding Louisiana’s race-based redistricting map, deeming it an “attack on voters.”

Lee remarked, “There will be movies and documentaries about this era in America. You’ve got this guy in the White House—right next door, right?” He also highlighted the challenges the country has faced historically, stating, “This is not the first time we’ve gone through hardship, and we’ve managed to improve our situation. We must keep striving for that.”

Referring to the significance of voting for African Americans, Lee quoted Malcolm X, emphasizing the gains made through the electoral process. “So when we see this assault on voters, it’s clear what the goals are,” he added.

Writing for the majority in the case known as Louisiana vs. Curry, Justice Samuel Alito criticized lower courts for enforcing what he perceived as race-based discrimination, asserting that this undermines the goal of eliminating such biases. He explained that “Section II of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is meant to uphold the Constitution, not contradict it. Unfortunately, there have been instances where lower courts have applied precedents in a way that compels states to discriminate based on race, which the Constitution forbids.”

Alito pointed out that this issue escalated when Louisiana reviewed its congressional district maps following the 2020 Census. In a ruling from 2022, a federal judge found that the state’s maps likely violated Article II since they did not create additional districts with a black majority. However, when Louisiana attempted to draft a new map that included these districts, the revised map faced accusations of being a racial gerrymander. This led to a ruling from a three-judge court declaring the new map inconsistent with the Equal Protection Clause, which prompted the state’s appeal.

Alito noted, “For over three decades, we’ve assumed the answer to whether the Voting Rights Act mandates such race-based actions is affirmative. However, to allow race considerations in governmental decisions would signify a departure from constitutional norms applicable in nearly all other scenarios.” He concluded that it might be time to clarify whether compliance with the Voting Rights Act could justifiably support race-based districting.

Many Democrats, including figures like Barack Obama and Kamala Harris, have condemned the ruling. Whoopi Goldberg, a co-host on The View, stated last week that the Supreme Court’s decision against Louisiana’s majority black district aimed to deter “people of color” from participating in elections.

In the wake of the ruling, states have already started adjusting their congressional representations. Last week, Florida’s legislature approved a new map suggested by Governor DeSantis, likely resulting in an increase in Republican seats—24 for Republicans compared to 4 for Democrats.

President Trump has lauded the efforts of GOP governors like Bill Lee from Tennessee and Jeff Landry from Louisiana for pushing their legislatures to redraw congressional boundaries ahead of the midterm elections.