Joining us, late senior writer and co-host of the Amicus podcast, Mark Joseph Stern, investigative reporter for the Austin American Statesman Tony Pitky, former deputy assistant attorney general Tom Dri, and MS Now senior legal reporter Lisa Rubin. So Mark Joseph Stern um yet again using the shadow docket. Then again, they needed to do something about this if they were going to act at all before the December 7th deadline. They're arguing the uh lower court got in the way of a midterm, but wouldn't the lower ...

Political Landscape & Redistricting - Texas Republicans advanced a new congressional map designed to flip five Democratic House districts to Republican, aligning with Donald Trump's request [1] - California's governor is proposing a special election to counter Texas' move with new congressional maps aimed at offsetting Republican gains [2] - The redistricting is criticized as discriminatory and racially motivated, with claims that it diminishes the representation of Black individuals [3][4] - The redistricting is happening outside the normal census cycle, raising concerns about its political motivations, especially targeting the Latino community, which accounted for 90% of Texas' population growth in 2020 [8][9] Legal & Ethical Concerns - The Department of Justice (DOJ) letter highlights racial concerns, but Texas Republicans deny racial motivation, claiming the map is politically based, which they consider legal [18][23] - Despite claims of political motivation, the impact of the redistricting is seen as racially biased, particularly affecting communities of color [19][20] - Democrats argue that the redistricting targets specific districts with majority Black and Brown populations for elimination [24] Democratic Response & Strategy - Democrats are considering reciprocal actions, including reorganizing districts in Democratic states, to counter Republican efforts [13][15] - Democrats emphasize the importance of fair and free elections and a representative democracy, opposing what they see as cheating to gain seats [14][15] - Democrats highlight that Texas is now a 60% people of color state, which is not reflected in the current or proposed maps [20]

Legal & Compliance - The report suggests potential legal challenges for Cornell University due to alleged race-based hiring practices [1] - The report highlights a complaint filed against Cornell University for racial discrimination [1] Social Impact & Ethical Considerations - The report raises concerns about the potential harm to qualified scholars due to race-based hiring practices [1] - The report emphasizes the need for serious scrutiny of race-based hiring practices [1]