WASHINGTON, D.C.—People For the American Way today issued the following statement from PFAW Executive Vice President Marge Baker in response to the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling that “[p]artisan gerrymandering claims present political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts.”

“Thanks to the appointment of Justice Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court to replace Justice Kennedy, Trump’s new conservative majority just made it impossible for federal courts to protect Americans from being disenfranchised by partisan gerrymandering. As Justice Kagan said, gerrymandering has ‘debased and dishonored our democracy.’

“Today’s decision puts the challenge for the next president into sharp relief: they must appoint fair-minded constitutionalists to the bench who will protect the rights of everyone, not just corporations and the powerful. The Supreme Court today has put our entire democracy in jeopardy, showing what kind of damage a group of narrow-minded elitists can do when confirmed for life to the courts.”

About PFAW

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy.

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