appreciate it. also in our politics lead, the biden administration is taking aim at texas once again. this time accusing republican lawmakers of discriminating against black and latino voters. today the justice department filed a lawsuit that says the state s new redistricting plans were specifically designed to have, quote, anglo voting majorities and dilute the voting strength of minorities. last month the doj challenged a different texas state law that imposes restrictions on aid provided to disabled voters at polling locations. coming up actor jussie smollett accused of faking a hate crime against himself, taking the stand in his defense. details are next. don t just put on a light show be the light show. make your nights anything but silent. and ride in a sleigh that really slays.
the complaint also asks the court to establish interim plans pending a lawful state redistricting. this is not the first time texas has acted to minimize the voting rights of its minority citizens. decade after decade courts have found that texas as enacted redistricting plans that deliberately dilute the voting strength of latino and black voters and that violate the voting rights act. the attorney general has made clear that the justice department will not stand idly by in the face of unlawful attempts to retrikt access to the ballot. the justice department stands ready to protect the constitutional guaranteed voting rights of americans in texas and throughout the country. thank you. reporter: attorney general, we ve learned you re going to be later on today with emmett
voting strength of nonwhite voters who happen to fuel texas population growth over the past few years. in response the naacp has released an open letter condemning the governor s action by targeting some very high-profile residents of the state. professional athletes. in the letter addressed to athletes in the nba, nfl, wnba, mlb, nhl, the naacp president derrick johnson appeals to free agents of all those leagues with one simple message, if you are a free agent and are considering employment in texas, look elsewhere. joining us now the author of that letter, the president and ceo of the naacp derrick johnson. i mean, sports and activism have always been connected, and athletes have been powerful activists. this feels like a big step and an important one. and i wonder what the reception was to your letter. well, it is important because we re talking to athletes who
comparable 39% of the state population, are a majority in just 18% of the districts, asian texans makeup under, 12 and 5% of the population respectively are majority zero districts, the things that makes it so notable is the population growth which allowed texas these two new seats, is 95% attributable, to people of color, now a teeny legal rights organization, the mexican american legal defense fund education, fund is suing texas governor greg abbott, and the deputies secretive state to block the map from taking effect. saying a quote, illegally in unconstitutionally deludes the voting strength of latino voters in, texas. in a paralysis the organization s vice president for litigation, and she joins me now. first, let s just start with what s the ground rules, of the voting rights act, the constitutional say. about this process. what s the sort of guidance, in terms of equal representation here?
which allowed texas these two new seats is 95% attributable to people of color. now a latino legal rights organization, the mexican american legal defense and educational fund, is suing the governor and the deputy secretary of state to block the map from taking effect saying it illegally and unconstitutionally dilutes the voting strength of voters in texas. she joins me now. firstly, let s start with what the ground rules of the voting rights act and the constitution say about this process. what is the sort of guidance in terms of equal representation here? we know that there is an imperative for majority/minority districts or districts where non-white members can be elected because. diversity of constituency. what is the baseline we look at to judge this map by? well, that s exactly right.