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Louisiana AG aims to dismantle ‘offensive’ voting law that factors race into redistricting
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EXCLUSIVE: Louisiana’s attorney general is siding with the people who sued her, an unusual move that comes as part of a case that she hopes will reshape the Voting Rights Act, a decades-old law designed to prevent discrimination in the voting process.
Liz Murrill, who was solicitor general of Louisiana before becoming attorney general last year, told Fox News Digital in an interview on Tuesday that she expected the lawsuit and was prepared to agree with the plaintiffs.
Murrill, an elected Republican, had approved of a congressional map that appeared to favor Democrats, but in a perceived turnabout, she welcomed a lawsuit that challenged the map, saying it was a product of race-conscious «cracking and packing,» where minority voters were plucked out of various districts and consolidated into one.
«We’ve said all along, if section two [of the Voting Rights Act] requires us to do that, then it is in conflict with the equal protection clause, and section two has to yield, because the statute has to yield to the Constitution,» Murrill said, referencing the section of the Voting Rights Act that she is hoping the high court will gut.
SUPREME COURT HEARS PIVOTAL LOUISIANA REDISTRICTING CASE AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill leaves the U.S. Supreme Court after justices heard arguments in a case about social media censorship, in Washington, March 18, 2024. (REUTERS/Bonnie Cash)
Murrill rejects ‘bait-and-switch’ claims
The case has a tangled, yearlong history.
One-third of Louisiana’s voters are black, but the state legislature kept a map after the 2020 census that remained favorable to Republicans. The new map leaned 5-1 in favor of Republicans and included one district with a black majority, rather than two.
Black voters and civil rights groups sued, and through a string of court battles, Louisiana was found to have violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting black voters’ votes.
Instead of the court taking it upon itself to create a new map, Murrill said the alternative was that her state could retain its sovereignty by reluctantly drawing its own 4-2 map that complied with the current Voting Rights Act jurisprudence and court orders, even though she believed the map violated the Constitution.
NEW MAJORITY-BLACK LOUISIANA HOUSE DISTRICT REJECTED, NOVEMBER ELECTION MAP STILL UNCERTAIN
Voting rights activists protest outside the U.S. Supreme Court as the court prepares to hear arguments in a case challenging Louisiana’s congressional map in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Murrill said she did not pull a «bait-and-switch» and has maintained all along that creating a second district with a black majority is problematic.
«All along, we’ve said we don’t think we can do this, but because the courts have told us we have to do it, we’re going to go do it, and then we faced another challenge from non-African American voters, saying it violates the equal protection clause,» Murrill said. «We could have predicted, we did predict that would happen.»
‘So much stereotyping’
The Supreme Court has said it is examining whether the map Louisiana created with two black-majority districts violates the Constitution. Murrill agrees with the people who sued her and contends that it does.
«The only way to create a second majority-minority district would be to carve black voters off from five major cities in Louisiana, north to south, and pile them into a black district,» she told Fox News Digital. «That’s unconstitutional.»
The black voters and civil rights groups who have been advocating two majority-black districts have now reentered the legal fight and argued to the high court that creating such a map gives black voters an equal opportunity to elect the candidates of their choice. This is a requirement of the Voting Rights Act, which says minority groups’ votes cannot be diluted, they argue.
Murrill said that claim «has so much stereotyping of black voters built into it.»
«It’s not fair to just lump these people into large categories because of the color of their skin. That’s offensive,» Murrill said. «And yet, that’s what’s happening in redistricting, and it is being driven by this kind of test about whether the dilution of their votes results in an inability of them to elect candidates of their choice.»
What’s next for Louisiana
Based on Wednesday’s oral arguments, the Supreme Court appears poised to rein in race-conscious redistricting, though to what extent remains an open question.
Louisiana AG Liz Murrill speaks to the media during a press conference on Jan. 1, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Attorney General of Louisiana Liz Murrill )
The high court could make its decision as early as January or as late as June, meaning it is possible that Louisiana could adjust its maps to include one district with a black majority, instead of two, before the next midterms.
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But Murrill said it was difficult to plan for the 2026 elections since the timing and substance of the high court’s decision is unknown.
«At the end of the day, all we can do right now is try and delay the qualifying dates to give the court time to rule and give our legislature time to know what the rules are,» she said.
voting,elections,louisiana,judiciary,supreme court,politics
INTERNACIONAL
Nicolás Maduro, el ex chofer que maniobró el poder en Venezuela durante 13 años y ahora enfrenta a la Justicia en Estados Unidos
Represión y violaciones a los derechos humanos
Nicolás Maduro, en una marcha en Caracas el 10 de diciembre pasado. Foto: REUTERS 
Una imagen difundida este sábado en la red Truth Social por Donald Trump, tras la captura de Nicolás Maduro en Caracas. Foto: REUTERS Realpolitik
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President Donald Trump said the United States is «going to run the country» in Venezuela until what he described as a safe, proper and judicious transition can take place.
Trump framed the role as temporary but necessary, saying the U.S. does not want to allow «somebody else get in» before conditions are stable. He said the goal is peace, liberty and justice for Venezuelans, including those who have fled to the United States and hope to return home.
«We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,» Trump said.
He also warned the U.S. is prepared to escalate further if needed, saying, «We are ready to stage a second and much larger attack,» and that American forces remain in position. «We’re there now, and we’re going to stay until such time as the proper transition can take place,» Trump said.
Trump spoke during a news conference Saturday hours after U.S. special forces bombed Caracas and captured dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, taking them to New York to face drug trafficking charges.
LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP CONFIRMS OVERNIGHT STRIKES IN VENEZUELA, SAYS US HAS ‘CAPTURED’ MADURO
President Donald Trump said the United States is «going to run the country» in Venezuela until what he described as a safe, proper and judicious transition can take place. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Trump said the U.S. plans to directly manage Venezuela alongside partners while rebuilding the country’s oil sector. «We’re going to be running it with a group, and we’re going to make sure it’s run properly,» Trump said. «We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars. It’ll be paid for by the oil companies directly … and we’re going to get the oil flowing the way it should be.» He said the U.S. would ensure Venezuelans are «taken care of,» including those «forced out of Venezuela by this thug.»
Pressed on whether U.S. forces would remain inside the country, Trump did not rule out a sustained troop presence. «They always say boots on the ground — so we’re not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to,» he said, confirming U.S. troops were already involved «at a very high level» during the operation.
Trump repeated that the U.S. intends to stay and retain control, saying, «We’re there now. We’re ready to go again if we have to. We’re going to run the country… very judiciously, very fairly.» He added that the U.S. was prepared to launch another attack if necessary and accused Venezuela’s former leadership of stealing American-built oil infrastructure, saying, «We’re late, but we did something about it.»
Asked whether the U.S. would back opposition leader María Corina Machado or work with Venezuela’s newly sworn-in vice president, Trump signaled flexibility. He noted the vice president had been «picked by Maduro,» but said U.S. officials were already engaging with her. «She’s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great,» Trump said, adding that the issue was being handled directly by his team.
Trump continued, «She was quite gracious, but she really doesn’t have a choice. We’re going to have this done right. We’re not going to just do this when they leave like everybody else, leave and say, you know, let it go to hell. If we just left, it has zero chance of ever coming back. We’ll run it properly. We’ll run it professionally. We’ll have the greatest oil companies in the world go in and invest billions and billions of dollars and take out money. Use that money in Venezuela. And the biggest beneficiary are going to be the people of Venezuela.»
MADURO MET CHINESE ENVOY HOURS BEFORE US CAPTURE FROM CARACAS AS BEIJING SLAMS OPERATION
Trump was asked by another reporter, «Why is running a country in South America ‘America first’?»
Trump replied: «We want to surround ourselves with good neighbors. We want to surround ourselves with stability. We want to surround ourselves with energy. We have tremendous energy in that country. It’s very important that we protect it.»
U.S. efforts to run or oversee political transitions in foreign countries have frequently encountered setbacks in recent years, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s approach to Venezuela.
The last time the U.S. intervened militarily to remove a leader in Latin America was in Panama in 1989, when American forces ousted dictator Manuel Noriega. While the operation succeeded quickly, it was followed by long-term challenges in stabilizing governance.
While the invasion quickly removed Manuel Noriega, it resulted in significant civilian harm. Estimates of civilian deaths vary widely, and entire neighborhoods — most notably El Chorrillo in Panama City — were heavily damaged, leaving thousands homeless. This complicated post-invasion stabilization and fueled lingering resentment among parts of the population.
Trump spoke during a news conference Saturday morning hours after U.S. special forces bombed Caracas and captured dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, taking them to New York to face drug trafficking charges. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)
MARÍA CORINA MACHADO EMERGES AS TOP POTENTIAL SUCCESSOR AFTER MÁDURO’S FALL
But after years of soaring hyperinflation that wiped out savings, hollowed out wages and fueled mass migration, some U.S. officials — and many Venezuelans — believe virtually anyone who comes to power would be better than Nicolás Maduro. Venezuelans inside the country and those who fled to the United States were seen celebrating in the streets during moments of heightened U.S. pressure, according to videos that circulated widely on social media.
Venezuelan opposition leaders Edmundo González Urrutia and his running mate Machado have positioned themselves as the alternative to President Nicolás Maduro, insisting they won last year’s presidential election despite the government’s declaration of Maduro as the victor.
After the capture, Machado called on Venezuela’s armed forces to recognize opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia as the country’s «legitimate president» and commander-in-chief. (Carlos Jasso/Reuters)
Machado, who was barred from holding office by the Maduro-appointed high court, threw her support behind González as a unity candidate, while the opposition and several international observers rejected the official results as fraudulent.
González has since left Venezuela amid pressure from the Maduro government, while Machado’s present whereabouts is unknown, urging continued domestic and international pressure to force a political transition.
After the capture, Machado called on Venezuela’s armed forces to recognize opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia as the country’s «legitimate president» and commander-in-chief, while declaring the opposition is prepared to «assert our mandate and take power.» In a defiant statement, she said «the hour of freedom has arrived,» argued President Nicolás Maduro now faces international justice, and urged Venezuelans at home and abroad to mobilize as what she described as the final phase of a democratic transition.
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Asked about the U.S.’s track record of ousting dictators, Trump replied: «That’s when we had different presidents. . . . That’s not with me. We’ve had a perfect track record of winning. We win a lot and we win. If you look at Soleimani, you look at al-Baghdadi, you look at the Midnight Hammer, Midnight Hammer was incredible. . . . So, with me, you’ve had a lot of a lot of victory. You’ve had only victories, you’ve had no losses yet.»
venezuelan political crisis,donald trump,defense,latin america,foreign policy
INTERNACIONAL
Iran and Maduro ties suffer major blow following US operation and capture of Venezuelan dictator
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The Trump administration’s military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is a devastating setback to the South American nation’s long-term ally, the Islamic Republic of Iran, experts contend.
As Iran experiences yet another day of anti-regime protests across the country, Jason Brodsky, the policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), who has written about Maduro’s nefarious activities, told Fox News Digital that, «Maduro’s capture will be a blow to Iran’s interests in the Western Hemisphere as he was a longtime ally of Tehran under the banner of anti-imperialism and Americanism in the region.»
He said, «How much of a blow it will be will depend on who comes to power after Maduro. Iran and Hezbollah have used Venezuela as an operational hub for terrorism, drug trafficking, and power projection in Latin and South America.»
CARTEL CONNECTION: HEZBOLLAH AND IRAN EXPLOIT MADURO’S VENEZUELA FOR COCAINE CASH
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (L) meets with Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (R) within Maduro’s visit for «Gas Exporting Countries Forum» (GECF) meeting in Tehran, Iran on November 23, 2015. (Press Office/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
He continued, «Iran had a military partnership with Caracas as well, especially with drones. So Tehran is likely eyeing these developments very warily. Its interests in the region were already weakened after Bolivia’s presidential election, which brought to power a center-right leader who reestablished relations with Israel.»
In November, Fox News Digital reported that the Islamic Republic was backing Maduro just as the Trump administration stepped up military pressure in the Caribbean and expanded its crackdown on criminal networks tied to the regime in Caracas.
Brodsky said, «This will be a strike heard around the world. Iran’s regime will be watching it very closely as President Trump threatened the supreme leader during the 12-Day War. This historic strike adds to the perception of President Trump being unpredictable and risk-ready, which inspires fear in U.S. adversaries and bolsters the credibility of the threat of American military force. This strengthens U.S. deterrence.»
ON MADURO’S ‘TERROR ISLAND,’ HEZBOLLAH OPERATIVES MOVE IN AS TOURISTS DRIFT OUT
Ex-Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (L) welcomes Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro (3rd L) at Sadabat Palace in Tehran, Iran on June 11, 2022. (Photo by Iranian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) (Photo by Iranian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images))
The Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it «strongly condemns the American military attack on Venezuela and the flagrant violation of the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.»
Potkin Azarmehr, a British-Iranian expert on Iran, told Fox News Digital that «Every fall of a dictator who is allied with the Ayatollahs is both a boost to the morale of the people in Iran and a setback for the ruling mullahs.»
PROTESTS SPREAD ACROSS IRAN AS REGIME THREATENS US FORCES AS ‘LEGITIMATE TARGETS’ AFTER TRUMP WARNING
The then Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, from left front, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, gather for the official group photo at the 17th Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Porlamar, on Venezuela’s Margarita Island, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) (The Associated Press)
He added that, «The Islamic Republic saw its ‘axis of resistance’ fall apart in the region. Now it’s witnessing its partner in crime further away toppled. This will seriously damage the regime’s revenues and resources. Many of the ruling officials must now be tempted to defect before it’s too late.»
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Iran’s axis of resistance was the troika alliance consisting of the now-defunct Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria and the weakened Hezbollah terrorist movement in Lebanon.
Fox News’ Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.
venezuelan political crisis,iran,conflicts,terrorism,narco terror
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