Washington, D.C. — Today, Eric H. Holder, Jr., 82nd Attorney General of the United States and chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, released the following statement in response to the decision issued by the New York Court of Appeals striking down the enacted congressional map: 

“A fair map is one that follows the Census data and accurately reflects the way a state’s population has shifted in the previous decade. In New York that meant a population shift away from rural areas and into urban and suburban areas, and an overall increase in the number of people of color throughout the state. While a new map may look different than the one drawn by the legislature, it should still continue to reflect this truth from the Census data. It is also worth remembering that all maps submitted in the process, from the commission maps to the legislature’s map, increased the number of seats winnable for Democrats – because that is what is consistent with the data.

“I trust the special master and the court will take all of this into consideration, including by considering public feedback either in person or virtually from the entire state, and ultimately produce a map that more fairly represents the state of New York and its population growth over the past decade.

“Further, the notion that Democrats have somehow fallen behind in redistricting because of a ruling in a New York court is not only plainly inaccurate, it does a disservice to the efforts that have resulted in millions of people in this country who are voting on fairer maps this decade than the last. Americans across the country raised their voices on behalf of their communities and participated in the redistricting process, which led to the undoing of the egregious gerrymanders our nation saw in the previous decade. And we effectively stymied the Republican attempts to gerrymander their way to a ‘durable’ House majority because of the fair maps in states like North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Michigan and elsewhere. That remains true and will not be negated by an additional, more fair map in New York.

“Finally, I call on those who have been so critical of the flawed New York process to also raise their voices in opposition to even more egregiously flawed processes or nakedly partisan efforts in, among others, states like Texas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Alabama and North Carolina. Your silence on those attempts to damage our democracy will be seen as the rank hypocrisy it is.”

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