Judge refuses to toss discrimination lawsuits over Georgia voting districts

A judge has refused to dismiss lawsuits alleging Georgia’s congressional and legislative districts illegally discriminate against Black voters. U.S. District Judge Steve Jones ruled Monday that he could only decide disputes over the facts of the cases and the credibility of the witnesses after a full trial, which he set for September. The orders apply to one case challenging congressional districts and two cases challenging legislative districts. All three lawsuits allege that the maps violate the federal voting rights act by weakening the growing electoral strength of Black voters. The cases had been on hold until the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the Voting Rights Act by Alabama.