Robinson Files Lawsuit Against Commission's Redistricting Map

(Editor's note: Robinson announced a press conference is scheduled for Friday, to announce that a lawsuit is being filed in federal court in
Washington, D.C. to request the U.S. Department of Justice to deny approval of a redistricting map adopted by the . The following is the announcement sent out by the Commissioner.)

In recent years, it has been published that Douglas County has been found guilty of election violations. But, more importantly, it is with the current 2012 election cycle where it is claimed violations have grown in severity.

There are 3 core claims to the lawsuit: 1) vote packing: the illegal activity of concentrating voters of a certain race or membership group, 2) the illegal activity of qualifying candidates for the 2012 primary election without federal “pre-clearance” from the U.S. Department of Justice which recently asked for additional time and information, 3) illegal activity of moving forward with an election, knowingly in clear violation of federal law, without authorization from the Board of Commissioners (suggesting an illegal meeting was held) and 4) the illegal activity of not properly codifying the existence of a dissenting vote within the resolution effecting the adoption of the map and submitting false / fraudulent documents to the General Assembly.

The initiator of the lawsuit is a Douglas County Board of Commissioner Kelly Robinson who states “it is the last claim involving the suppression of vote that is central to the lawsuit. In short, in Douglas County, the practice is that if you are in the minority on an issue, your vote does not
matter, it will not be counted. This is a clear violation of “due process”. When Douglas County through the “sin of omission” allowed the withholding of relevant facts that there was opposition at the lower level to give the appearance of a unanimous vote, then the rights of not only a sole
commissioner was violated but 29,000 other voters in District 2.

Commissioner Robinson goes on to state: this fight and request for denial of the proposed redistricting map per activities that are not in compliance with Federal and/or State law are egregious. In Douglas County, those who are in the minority on any subject which is not rubber stamping the “majority” are not included. If one is in the minority on the subjects of alcohol,
millage rates, the T-splost or any other issue relevant to one’s quality of life, the current rule is to abridge, to suppress, to dismiss, to ignore your individual vote or collective voice. This alone is a clear violation of the Voting Rights Act – equal protection, one vote.

Extending civil rights support, is the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, founded by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. himself with its national headquarters in Atlanta, GA on historic Auburn Ave.

Commissioner Robinson states, “I have met with Dr. C.T. Vivian in his home and he has extended assurance of involvement on this matter as we pursue justice for all residents who are in a minority position”. Dr. C.T. Vivian, a civil rights activist for 50 years, was recently installed as President of the iconic S.C.L.C.

Also, extending support of solidarity are board of commissioners from throughout the region – from Dekalb to Fulton to Clayton.

This is not about a map alone: this is about the fundamental rights of all citizens. A right is an entitlement and all who are afforded that right should be allowed to equally walk in its freedoms and liberties as afforded under the law” Robinson concludes.

Other Douglasville Patch articles on this matter:

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