It’s a REALLY long ruling but the judges just go off on the #Alabama #Republican-controlled House #redistricting map & the fact that they completely ignored the court’s previous ruling.

Among other things, they find that #GOP lawmakers *intentionally* discriminated against #Black Alabamians when they passed a map that did not create a 2nd Black district.

Reached by phone, Mr. Segura said, “The charges are ridiculous,” [100%] adding that he was advised by his lawyer not to comment further.…

“The people of Texas deserve fair & honest elections, not backroom deals & political insiders rigging the system,” #KenPaxton said in a statement. “Elected officials who think they can cheat to stay in power will be held accountable. No one is above the law” [except rich white male #Republicans like Paxton & #Trump]

Acc/to a statement by #KenPaxton’s office, a grand jury returned indictments against Rochelle Camacho, the county #judge of Frio County; Carlos Segura, a former elections administrator for Frio; Ramiro Trevino & Racheal Garza, #CouncilMembers for the city of Pearsall; Adriann Ramirez, a trustee w/the #school district in Pearsall; & Rosa Rodriguez, who is described as an “alleged Frio County vote harvester.”

The investigation stemmed from a referral from Audrey Gossett Louis, a #Republican DA from the 81st Judicial District, which includes Atascosa & Frio Counties, where TXAG #KenPaxton’s office conducted some of the raids.

Paxton’s *election integrity* unit was created after #Trump made false claims of fraud in the wake of the #2020election, & Republican-led states sought to crack down on supposed voter crime. Experts have found that voter fraud remains rare.

Many fear that the exchange of money, such as for gas to help deliver a ballot or cast a vote could also be considered illegal. Wed’s indictment accused ofcls of using CashApp to pay one person to engage another to collect ballots.

It was unclear if other arrests were pending.

“I think this is all part of #VoterSuppression,” said Lidia Martinez, who was 87 last year when 9 officers, some w/ #guns, raided her home in San Antonio. She was not among the indicted.

Now, 5 people, all with *ties* to Democratic candidates, are accused of illegal *vote harvesting*, which usually involves knocking on doors & asking if volunteers can deliver completed absentee or mail-in ballots to voting centers or ballot drop boxes.

In 2021, Gov #GregAbbott signed an overhaul of #Texas #election laws which included new restrictions on vote harvesting, making it illegal to deliver a ballot for a 3rd party.

At the time, the League of United #LatinAmerican Citizens, one of the nation’s oldest #Latino #CivilRights organizations, said that officers conducting the raids took cellphones, computers & documents. An 87-year-old retired educator described heavily armed officers barging into her home & taking personal items.

#LULAC leaders accused the famously *conservative* AG #KenPaxton of trying to #suppress Latino voters & asked the #DOJ to investigate the raids.

The charges surprised #Latino #VotingRights activists, who had insisted that a series of #law enforcement raids on political operatives & voting organizers, some who were in their 70s & 80s, appeared to have been #political. The raids last August by #KenPaxton’s office were part of a sprawling voter *fraud* inquiry in Latino enclaves near San Antonio & in South Texas, conducted by Paxton’s “election integrity unit.”

A half-dozen people, including a county #judge, 2 #CityCouncil members & a former county #election administrator, were indicted in #Texas on Wednesday for “vote harvesting” & tampering with evidence, elevating AG #KenPaxton’s charges of voter *fraud* by mostly #Latino #Democrats to a #criminal level.