# Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts - Preview: The Worst Voting Rights Decision Since Jim Crow

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Podcast: [Slate Daily Feed](https://stenobird.com/podcast/slate-daily-feed-530620)
Published: 2026-04-29T21:33:02+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/amicus-with-dahlia-lithwick-law-justice-and-the-courts/episodes/69f278bbc2d898b28bd3542f
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/695ea2381c1db1c5bdf7c59b/a/slatedailyfeed-podcasts/e/69f278bbc2d898b28bd3542f/media.mp3
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Duration seconds: 502

## Resource

The Supreme Court's 6-3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais effectively guts Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by striking down a majority-Black congressional district. Janai Nelson of the Legal Defense Fund explains how this ruling dismantles essential tools for protecting multiracial democracy from racial discrimination.

## Highlights
- Main idea: The Court's ruling in Louisiana v. Callais undermines the ability to remedy racial gerrymandering under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act
- Failure mode: The decision validates the concept of 'white grievance' by treating efforts to ensure representation as 'reverse discrimination.'
- Practical takeaway: The loss of this legal tool leaves the Fifteenth Amendment as a 'mere parchment promise' without enforceable mechanisms
- Historical context: This ruling follows a predictable pattern of challenging civil rights progress, similar to the legal battles over affirmative action
- Consequence: The ruling threatens the functionality of multiracial democracy from local school boards to Congress

## Topics

Supreme Court, Voting Rights Act, Louisiana v. Callais, Gerrymandering, Civil Rights, Racial Discrimination, Election Law, Democracy

## Chapters
- 0:00 — A Shattering Moment for Democracy: Dahlia Lithwick introduces the 6-3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais and its impact on the Voting Rights Act.
- 0:40 — The End of Section 2?: An analysis of Justice Alito's opinion regarding unconstitutional race-based gerrymandering.
- 1:20 — Expert Analysis with Janai Nelson: Introduction of Janai Nelson, who argued the case before the Supreme Court.
- 2:00 — The Loss of Essential Protections: Discussion on how the ruling shrinks the legal tools available to prevent voting discrimination.
- 3:50 — The Louisiana Redistricting Dispute: Examining the specific congressional map and the attempt to remedy Black underrepresentation.
- 4:30 — The History of Voting Rights Challenges: Tracing the lineage of challenges to the Voting Rights Act back to the Civil Rights Movement.
- 5:40 — The Myth of Reverse Discrimination: Janai Nelson critiques the legal logic used to frame racial remedies as discriminatory against white voters.

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## Transcript

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