Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / July 21, 1994, edition 1 / Page 12
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NATIONAL * ' Federal Court Denies Injunction to Overturn Districts / . TALL\ HA SS EE. Flu. iAF) ? Three federal judges refused to overturn ? at least for this year's elections ? the 3rd Congressional District boundaries ihey drew after lawmakers deadlocked tti W2. The panel on Monday denied an order sought by%a Jacksonville attorney who said l*.S. Supreme Court rulings invalidated the 3rd district boundary that meanders through parts of 14 counties and 39 cities and communities. With primary^ elections scheduled Sept. 8, saidjudge' Joseph Hatchett: "We find the pub lic interest to be disserv ed by grant . ing a preliminary injunction." Though denying the injunc tion affecting this year's elections, the judges heard arguments and said they would rule later on attorney Rod Sullivanf's claim that ;the cur / rent district boundaries are invalid. Sullivan said he hadn't decid ed whether to file an appeal of the injunction denial, which would go directly to the L'.S.'Suprjmw Court. In 1992, Florida's congres sional districts were mapped out by ' the three-judge panel after lawmak ers couldn't agree on boundaries to satisfy Republicans, Democrats, ani) the federal Voting Rights Act. ? / Sullivan, representing plain tiffs including Jacksonville radio talk show host and former congres sional candidate Andy Johnson, , called the resulting 3rd District an example of "racial gerr.vmander insC. . Johnson objected to combin ing scattered areas of black strength to form a new district capable of electing a black representatfr?^~in this case U.S. Rep. Corinne Brown. D-Jacksonvillc. ? "It has changed the political landscape." he argued. ? Sullivan said more minority representatives would mean differ ent votes in Congress on controver-, sial subjects such as gun control, health care and policy toward Haiti. George Waas, representing the Florida Secretary of State's Office, noted Johnson ran unsuc cessfully against Brown in 1992. but isn't a candidate in this current election. "Presumably he's not sat isfied with his congressional repre sentative's votes on some key issues." Waas said. i That doesn't justify changing district maps, Waas said. "No con gressional representative, no sena tor. can ever vote a single vote that satisfies 100 percent of their con-* stituents. It's an impossibility," . "Corinne Brown remains fully qualified to represent any voter in her district." said Rodney Gregory, an attorney for Brown. In a statement released later Monday by her Washington office. Brown said she was ^very encour aged" by the U.S. district court's ; ruling. "I have strongly supported the Florida Attorney General's efforts to have this case dismissed as groundless and frivolous." Brown said. "The Court's latest rul ing demonstrates the weakness of the plaintiff's case." ?- ?, ' ? The judges, said they would also rule later on a motion by Waas to dismiss the complaint. Sullivan asked the court to order the districts set aside for the current election and order tFem redrawn by the state Legislature. Elaine N'ew. attorney for the Florida House of Representatives, . said if the court does strike down the districts, lawmakers want the right to make the first attempt to redraw them. . ; JThe Legislature would be entitled to reopen the battle over reapportionment without court action. New said. But. she said. ~no legislation has been filed to do - that.l Taxpayers had to shell out $1.45 million to lawyers for" Republicans, blacks and Hispanics who sued the state in 1992 as law makers tried to agree on districts acceptable to the federal court's and U.S. Justice Department. But they never-agreed on the~ congressional district's. "They threw it to us," said U.S. District Judge William Stafford. . , In June, in a case involving: districts of Florida's state lawmak ers, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled; that blacks and Hispanics must be* able to elect politicians in numbers "roughly proportional" to their share of the population ? but; shouldn't get special treatment when districts are. drawn. "Why Should I R Surgeon General . i . , . - LITTLE ROCK lAP) Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders scoffs at calls for her resignation. . - and stands by remarks.she has made that prompted criticism. "I took the job for four years," Elders said Monday. "It's a statutory appointment. Wh\ should 1 resign0" Elders, formerh director of the stale Health Department, was back home to attend the trial "of h$y *on. Kevin, on a drug charge. He wa> convicted Monda> of deli\er\ of a, controlled substance, cocaine, in a non-|ur\ trial Monday before . Pulaski County Circuit Judge John ; Plegge ^ ... The sale took pface Julv 29. 1993. hut the surgeorj generaf *son . was not arrested until Dec. 19. on a* Warrant issued a week after his -mother suggested at a National Press Club luncheon that the gov ernment study legalization of drugs as a possible means of reducing the nation's crime rate._ Such remarks have aroused the ire of* conservatives. A United Methodist conference in Florida scrubbed a scheduled appearance b\ the surgeon' general because o? her support lor abortion, condoms in schools and studying legalization of drugs. ? v Cardinal Jinnies Hicke\. the archbishop of Washington, rebuked her for endorsing ga\ and lesbian adoptions and tor denouncing th. 'f religious right's xieus on homosev uality: On June J -i. s ~ Republicans demanded tier resign^ tion. parth because ol remarks she made to x homosexual audience !uo days earlier Rep Cliff Stearns. k-Ha.. ^aid the surgeon general . ' NM,>uld be usingithis oYfice to light sickness and disease and not using Mhis office to Tighuparents and vhurches ' i)uring a break in her son's ?iriai?hl.ders said she tries to educate4 .the public and do whatever else she has u> do i?. improve the health of \mericans j "\1> ioh description is to ?mpro\e the health of all Americans .find i do I all the things that go with that.* " she said, "You can't keep ignorant people healthy." As for the criticism h\ Republicans in _ Congress. Flders replied, "the I Democrats are in nou i'.S. Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders leaving a courtroom in Little Rock , Ark., followed by her son , Kevin , Monday during a break in the trial. Rick James to Begin Serving Jail Sentence LOS A\cr.u S i \ /') --- A judge rejected Kick James ' hM - ditch appeal to re-enter a drug reha bilitation program and ordered the funk singer to begin serving a five -year. four-month prison term tor attacking two womerr. Judge Michael R HotT told James on Monda\ that he was luck\ he wasn't headed to prison 1 \>r a dozen years tor \iolcn; aiiaok^ Woman at his home and another woii>a)i-4R-44HL-j^--Ja;;ies (, luh Hotel in West Molls wood. The ludee Called the- shorter sentence I! lit - James. tamous tor the 1 ws | hif 'Supertreak:'* was convicted of assault last year in the attacks. The tur\ was hung on "a torture charge th.il warrie^ it hie term Hut bp lore prosecutors could retr\ James on thai count, allega tions surfaced that a district attor- . ne \ "s inv estigator had furnished drugs to a tailed witness who testi MeU against Jdiiies. The in\estigator was not 'direct !\ involved in the Jumes case. Deputx District Atft>rne\ Andrew Flier said. ? ' Holt told James before s^n ;eiKini: "You can thank the D.A.'jt7 n\ estimator tor your continued ? Ikk Because of the scandal and the internal probe. James was. allowed to plead no contest-to assault charges involving the attack at his home. Prosecutors said James and his girlfriend, Tanya Anne Hijazi. imprisoned and tortured a woman during u weeklong cocaine binge at his gateikhouse in the Hollywood Hills. , Hijazi. who pleaded guilty to an assault charge and eventually testified againsPthe 46-year-old James, is serving two years in prison. Under terms of the arrange ment. James received a shorter sen tence and prosecutors said they would not oppose hN ,nfn thp drug program instead of prison. Grand Opening!!! 'rKathQeen's Qlnirjues Shores Friday, July 29 & Saturday, July 30 - I Oam -6pm OPEN HOUSE Sunday, July 31, 3-6pm ? QifjlQ ? o4'?i(iqttP$ ? CoPPrcfihPr.fi ? '"lAirat ?DoPPs ? ^ec-slu/ite 3622 Revnolda Rd. (lAtchnumns Plaza S.C.) Winston -Salem ? 922-2461 FREE Door Prizes YOUR CHILD Support Our Kids! O R P S Call To Register Your Child Today 722-8624
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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