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LetMyPeopleVote

(173,458 posts)
35. There is a crazed dissent to this ruling that is really strange
Wed Nov 19, 2025, 04:14 PM
Nov 19

I have been volunteering on election law/voting rights matters since 2004 and Prof. Hasen is a great source of information in this area. This dissent is nuts

Judge Jerry Smith Issues His 104-Page Dissent to Yesterday’s 3-Judge District Court Holding that Texas’s Re-Redistricting is Likely an Unconstitutional Racial Gerrymander. Along the Way He Calls Out the “Pernicious” & “Outrageous” Behavior of Judge Brown in the Majority electionlawblog.org?p=153106

Rick Hasen (@rickhasen.bsky.social) 2025-11-19T20:44:24.987Z

https://electionlawblog.org/?p=153106

It begins with a remarkable attack on Judge Brown (a Trump appointee) explaining that Smith was not responsible for any delay in issuing the decision:

In my 37 years on the federal bench, this is the most outrageous conduct by a judge that I have ever encountered in a case in which I have been involved.
In summary, Judge Brown has issued a 160-page opinion without giving me any reasonable opportunity to respond. I will set forth the details. The readers can judge for themselves.


And then turning to the merits:
The main winners from Judge Brown’s opinion are George Soros andmGavin Newsom. The obvious losers are the People of Texas and the Rule of Law. I dissent.
In the interest of time, this dissent is, admittedly, disjointed. Usually, in dissenting from an opinion of this length, I would spend more days refining and reorganizing the dissent for purposes of impact and readability. But that approach is not reasonably possible here because these two judges have not allowed it.

The resulting dissent is far from a literary masterpiece. If, however, there were a Nobel Prize for Fiction, Judge Brown’s opinion would be a prime candidate.


[This post is in progress]


See also




I tried to read this dissent but is very disjointed and poorly written

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Let's hope so Jbraybarten Nov 18 #1
Trump will raise hell with 'Pam' to find a way to overturn CA redistricting on same arguement Attilatheblond Nov 18 #2
Oh, I'm sure SCOTUS will find a way to overturn this decision... regnaD kciN Nov 18 #4
Sadly, I fear that entirely possible Attilatheblond Nov 18 #5
Hellooooooo Shadow Docket n/t BaronChocula Nov 18 #22
By my thinking, they don't need to find a way. bluestarone Nov 18 #13
100 percent. There's literally no such thing as settled law in our legal system. BannonsLiver Nov 18 #24
It's my understanding that the CA redistricting is strictly conditioned on that of TX. John Farmer Nov 18 #8
Nah, not now that the people of CA have spoken. They're going through with this. Thanks, Texas. ancianita Nov 18 #11
That's not what I'm reading. stopdiggin Nov 18 #14
The Texas ruling does not affect California Prop. 50 LetMyPeopleVote Nov 18 #19
What happens to California's Prop 50 maps if Texas redistricting efforts are blocked? LetMyPeopleVote Nov 18 #17
I guess Texas forgot... COL Mustard Nov 18 #28
We live on hope. efhmc Nov 19 #34
Good malaise Nov 18 #3
Marc Elias coming up after commercials on Nicole malaise Nov 18 #6
Bless the Mark Elias Group! ancianita Nov 18 #12
This ruling is going to affect a number of Texas races LetMyPeopleVote Nov 18 #7
This means Jasmine Crockett can keep her district. ananda Nov 18 #9
Yep malaise Nov 18 #10
Well, no one ever said Donnie's DoJ was terribly bright. paleotn Nov 18 #15
It's really scary how many total dimwits can get law degrees. (or MBAs,, etc.) erronis Nov 18 #18
Just remember.... COL Mustard Nov 18 #31
But how many politicians graduate below the 50% line in any field. Then went into politics. erronis Nov 18 #32
As the old saying goes.... COL Mustard Nov 18 #33
The school kids must have called him "Brissy" when he was growing up. nt Exp Nov 18 #16
I hope California doesn't back down and they go forward with what they're gonna do until after the midterms oldmanlynn Nov 18 #20
That is what I was going to ask, will this mean California may back off? I think they should stay Bev54 Nov 18 #27
Good, they got what they deserve for trying to rig things. ChicagoTeamster Nov 18 #21
The repukes think they are all so clever Javaman Nov 18 #23
The meritocracy of super geniuses has a truly spectacular track record IronLionZion Nov 18 #25
SCOTUS to the rescue. RandySF Nov 18 #26
Yeah, if there's one thing the SC 6 can be relied on for, it's bending rules for Trump muriel_volestrangler Nov 18 #30
Oopsie. TomSlick Nov 18 #29
There is a crazed dissent to this ruling that is really strange LetMyPeopleVote Nov 19 #35
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