DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Election Updates: Trump campaigns in battleground states for the first time since his trial began.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Chris Cameron | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

The Louisiana secretary of state has ordered that the congressional map be finalized by May 15. Even so, they said, it was evident that creating a second district with a majority of Black voters was lawmakers’ overarching objective. But in the map drawn by the Republican-controlled Legislature, only one of the six congressional districts had a majority Black population. The ruling reaffirmed the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which had been diminished over the years by the court’s conservative majority. Critics of Tuesday’s ruling argued that the repercussions in Louisiana could extend beyond a single election, or even partisan divisions.

Persons: ”, Critics, Eric H, Holder Jr, Liz Murrill, “ I’ve, ’, David C, Joseph, Robert R, “, Carl E, Stewart, —, Tuesday’s, Ashley Shelton, Ms, Shelton Organizations: Black, U.S . Constitution, National Democratic, Republican, U.S, Supreme, . Constitution, State Legislature, Lawmakers, U.S ., Appeals, Fifth Circuit, American, Western, Western District of, Louisiana Legislature, voters, Power Coalition for Equity, Justice Locations: Louisiana, U.S ., ., Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Western District, Western District of Louisiana, Black, U.S

☆ Opinion: I witnessed an execution and regretted it. Now I’m not so sure
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Opinion Jonathan Eig | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

A small group of people, including five journalists, witnessed the execution of convicted murderer Kenneth Eugene Smith. The Angolite, the Louisiana State Penitentiary’s inmate-run news magazine, published photos revealing the seared flesh of a man who’d died in the chair. Soon after Prejean’s execution, the Louisiana legislature passed laws mandating lethal injections for executions. Around the time I witnessed Prejean’s execution, roughly 80% of Americans said they approved of the death penalty, according to a Gallup poll. Prejean, who was convicted and executed for the murder of Donald Cleveland, a Louisiana state trooper, was 17 at the time of the murder.

Persons: Jonathan Eig, they’d, Jonathan Eig Doug McGoldrick, Dalton Prejean, clench, Kenneth Eugene Smith, Mr, Smith, gurney, “, Helen Prejean, Dalton, Dalton Prejean’s, who’d, Louisiana hasn’t, Jeff Landry, Landry, Prejean, Donald Cleveland Organizations: CNN, Angola State, The New Orleans Times, Louisiana State, Gallup Locations: Angola, Louisiana, Alabama, The

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Louisiana Legislature's redrawn congressional map giving the state a second mostly Black district is being challenged by 12 self-described “non-African American” voters in a new lawsuit. At least one person, state Sen. Cleo Fields, a Black Democrat from Baton Rouge, has already said he will be a candidate in the new district. It is not clear how the lawsuit will affect that district or the 2022 litigation, which is still ongoing. Louisiana's Legislature drew a new map in 2022 that was challenged by voting rights advocates because only one of six U.S. House maps was majority Black, even though the state population is roughly one-third Black. As the case was appealed, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an unexpected ruling in June that favored Black voters in a congressional redistricting case in Alabama.

Persons: Sen, Cleo Fields, John Bel Edwards, Shelly Dick, Jeff Landry, Edwards, Garrett Graves, Landry's, Nancy Landry, David Joseph, Donald Trump Organizations: ORLEANS, American, Republican, Democrat, Louisiana's, ., U.S, Supreme, Black, Circuit, Appeals, Gov, GOP, Republicans Locations: Louisiana, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Alabama, Shreveport, Black, Western

(AP) — The Louisiana Legislature has until Jan. 15 to enact a new congressional map after a lower court last year ruled that the current political boundaries dilute the power of the state’s Black voters, a federal New Orleans appeals court said Friday. Louisiana is among states still wrangling over congressional districts after the U.S. Supreme Court in June ruled that Alabama had violated the Voting Rights Act. They argue that Black populations in the state are too dispersed to be united into a second majority Black district. Lawmakers now have until mid-January to draw and pass a new map, which would have to be done through a special session. However, in the appeals court’s order it does say that the district court will have discretion to grant “limited additional time” if requested.

Persons: John Bel Edwards, Jeff Landry, “, Edwards, Shelly Dick, ” Dick, ” Edwards, Troy Carter, ”, Carter, Landry, Landry won’t Organizations: The Louisiana Legislature, Democratic Gov, Republican Gov, U.S ., Appeals, Fifth District, Louisiana’s GOP, U.S, Supreme, Republicans, Black, Lawmakers, Senate, U.S . Rep, Democratic Locations: BATON ROUGE, La, The Louisiana, New Orleans, Louisiana’s, Louisiana, Alabama, Black, “

☆ Who is Rep. Mike Johnson, the House GOP’s latest speaker nominee?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Piper Hudspeth Blackburn | Shania Shelton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The Louisiana Republican was first elected to the House in 2016 and serves as vice chairman of the House Republican Conference, as well as GOP deputy whip, an assistant leadership role. During Trump’s first impeachment trial in January 2020, Johnson, along with a group of other GOP lawmakers, served a largely ceremonial role in Trump’s Senate impeachment team. My strong SUGGESTION is to go with the leading candidate, Mike Johnson, & GET IT DONE, FAST!” Trump posted. Rep. Mike Johnson files his paperwork at the secretary of state's office after qualifying for his congressional reelection bid on July 20, 2018, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For that, I stepped aside and threw all my support behind Mike Johnson.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Donald Trump, Johnson, Trump’s, Joe Biden, “, Trump, Chip Somodevilla, ” Trump, Paul M, Melinda Deslatte, Kevin Hern, it’s, ”, ” Johnson’s, Tom Emmer’s, Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan Organizations: Washington CNN —, Louisiana Republican, House Republican Conference, House Republicans, Capitol, WIN, Committee, Armed Services Committee, Republican, Louisiana State University, Hebert Law Center, Rep, Oklahoma Republican, House Republican, Minnesota, Republicans, Trump, Reps Locations: Louisiana, Trump’s, Texas, Longworth, Washington ,, Louisiana’s, Baton Rouge , Louisiana, Oklahoma, America

☆ Tesla gets US assist in lawsuit challenging Louisiana direct-sales ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Mike Scarcella | Companies Need To Integrate Climate Reporting Across Functions To Comply With California S New Law | Henry Engler | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla is suing the Louisiana Automobile Dealers Association, members of the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission and a group of dealers. The Justice Department and lawyers for Tesla said U.S. civil antitrust law does not require a showing of intent. Adding that requirement would "improperly" restrict antitrust law, Justice Department lawyers told the appeals court. Tesla countered in the appeal that Louisiana car dealers had "agreed with one another to harass Tesla with baseless investigations and drive it out of the state." The case is Tesla v. Louisiana Automobile Dealers Association et al, 5th U.S.

Persons: Tyrone Siu, Tesla, Elon Musk, Sarah Vance, Vance, Ari Holtzblatt, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale, Dorr, Mark Beebe, Adams, Reese, Paul Clement of Clement, Murphy, Matthew Mandelberg, Read, Mike Scarcella Organizations: Tesla, REUTERS, Tyrone, U.S . Justice, Louisiana Automobile Dealers Association, Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission, Department, Circuit, Appeals, Justice Department, Louisiana Legislature, Louisiana Automobile Dealers, 5th U.S, Reese For Louisiana Automobile Dealers, Thomson Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, New Orleans, U.S, Louisiana, Michigan, 5th, States

☆ US Supreme Court Won't Intervene in Louisiana Electoral Map Fight
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

Circuit Court of Appeals, where Republican Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin has appealed Dick's preliminary injunction that blocked the legislature's map. The injunction directed the legislature to create two House districts, rather than just one, where Black voters would represent the majority of voters. Black voters tend to favor Democratic candidates. The Louisiana legislature passed the map in February 2022. The Supreme Court in June ruled in a similar case against a Republican-drawn map in Alabama that a lower court had concluded unlawfully curbed Black voters from electing a candidate of their choice.

Persons: Andrew Chung, Shelly Dick, Dick, Kyle Ardoin, Jon Bel Edwards, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Stuart Naifeh, Abha Khanna, Ardoin, Jeff Landry, Dick's, Will Dunham Organizations: Reuters, U.S, Supreme, Republican, voters, Black, House, Republicans, New, Circuit, Appeals, Democratic, Liberal, NAACP Legal Defense, Educational Fund Locations: New Orleans, Louisiana, Alabama

The United States Supreme Court building is seen as in Washington, U.S., October 4, 2023. The injunction directed the legislature to create two House districts, rather than just one, where Black voters would represent the majority of voters. Black voters tend to favor Democratic candidates. The Louisiana legislature passed the map in February 2022. The Supreme Court in June ruled in a similar case against a Republican-drawn map in Alabama that a lower court had concluded unlawfully curbed Black voters from electing a candidate of their choice.

Persons: Evelyn Hockstein, Shelly Dick, Dick, Kyle Ardoin, Jon Bel Edwards, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Stuart Naifeh, Abha Khanna, Ardoin, Jeff Landry, Dick's, Andrew Chung, Will Dunham Organizations: United States Supreme, REUTERS, U.S, Supreme, Republican, voters, Black, House, Republicans, New, Circuit, Appeals, Democratic, Liberal, NAACP Legal Defense, Educational Fund, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, New Orleans, Louisiana, Alabama

Circuit Court of Appeals "for review in the ordinary course and in advance of the 2024 congressional elections in Louisiana." Democrats have accused Republicans of exploiting state legislature majorities to draw electoral maps that dilute the clout of Black and other minority voters. The map was challenged by Black voters and civil rights groups in two lawsuits. The plaintiffs in court papers said that "stark racially polarized voting almost universally leads to the electoral defeat of Black-preferred candidates" in Louisiana. The Supreme Court in that ruling elected not to further roll back protections contained in the Voting Rights Act as it had done in two major decisions in the past decade.

Persons: Kyle Ardoin, Shelly Dick, Jon Bel Edwards, Black, Dick, Andrew Chung, Will Dunham Organizations: U.S . House, U.S, Supreme, Republican, Black, . House, Circuit, Republicans, Democratic, disenfranchising, The U.S, Thomson Locations: Louisiana, Alabama, Orleans, United States, Louisiana's, The, New York

Companies Tesla Inc FollowJune 16 (Reuters) - A federal court in Louisiana on Friday dismissed Tesla Inc's (TSLA.O) complaint against a state restriction on direct car sales, according to a ruling. Last year, Tesla filed a lawsuit to challenge Louisiana's refusal to allow the company to sell vehicles directly to consumers, calling the U.S. state's move protectionist and anticompetitive. The case is part of Tesla's strategy of reversing direct sales bans in some states against the electric carmaker, which bypassed traditional car dealerships to sell vehicles to consumers online or at its own stores. “(T)he direct sales ban applies equally to all manufacturers, and Tesla has alleged no facts regarding anti-Tesla animus on the part of the Louisiana Legislature," the ruling said. Reporting by Mike Scarcella and Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tesla, Mike Scarcella, Jin, Leslie Adler, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Tesla, U.S, Louisiana Legislature, Thomson Locations: Louisiana

☆ Louisiana Lawmakers Pass Ban on Transition Care for Transgender Minors
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Rick Rojas | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

Republican lawmakers resuscitated the bill after a previous attempt failed at the committee level. youthIf the measure becomes law, Louisiana would join 17 states that have enacted bans or severe restrictions this year on access to transition care for minors, all part of a broader effort by conservative lawmakers to regulate the lives of transgender or gender-nonconforming young people. The state has an estimated 4,000 transgender teenagers, according to a report published last year by the Williams Institute, an L.G.B.T.Q. Under the terms of the bill, young people already receiving this treatment would be allowed to temporarily continue it to avoid an abrupt halt, but that window would close at the end of 2023. The bill, he said at the time, “was going to become law whether or not I signed it or vetoed it.”

Persons: Gabe Firment, Critics, Fred Mills, Mills, Edwards —, —, “, ” Organizations: Republican, Democrats, Republicans, ”, Health, Welfare, Associated Press, Louisiana Legislature, Williams Institute, University of California, Louisiana Department of Health Locations: Louisiana, Los Angeles

☆ Final farewell: From Sidney Poitier to Pope Emeritus Benedict a look back at the influential figures who died in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +55 min

Other world leaders who died in 2022 include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who died in August. The final days of 2022 saw the loss of some exceptionally notable figures, including Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2022 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___Dan Reeves, 77. A Cuban-born artist whose radiant color palette and geometric paintings were overlooked for decades before the art world took notice. A prolific character actor best known for playing villains and tough guys in “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Ocean’s Eleven” and other films.

☆ The Black vote in Louisiana elections has been diluted by the GOP redefining Blackness
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Max Burns | Max Burns Is A Democratic Strategist | Founder Of Third Degree Strategies. Find Him On Twitter | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Louisiana Republicans are trying to minimize the number of Black voters who count as, well, Black. To overcome this remaining hurdle, Louisiana Republicans are trying to minimize the number of Black voters who count as, well, Black. They claim that those who identify as multiracial — say, Black and Latino or Black and Asian — were wrongly used to bolster the calculations for Black minority opportunity zones. “This is Jim Crow-era stuff — a state with a Black population of over 30% has a single Black member of Congress. “Southern states with large Black populations want to control where the Black voters are represented and how.

Search resuls for: "The Louisiana Legislature"

13 mentions found