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Supreme Court rebuffs bid for DC congressional representation
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by Washington, D.C. , residents regarding their lack of voting rights in Congress, a decision that slows the district's drive for statehood.
The court issued a four-sentence order, citing a case from 2000 in which the justices gave the same response, finding Washingtonians do not have a constitutional right to a vote in Congress. The United States District Court for the District of Columbia previously ruled against plaintiffs seeking representation in March 2020, maintaining that they do not live in a "state."
The voters who petitioned for the Supreme Court to act argued that their inability to vote for members of Congress violated their rights to equal protection and due process, pointing out that voting rights extend to overseas residents but do not apply to residents in Washington.
"Residents of the District of Columbia are the only adult American citizens subject to federal income taxes who lack voting representation in Congress, except for felons in some States," lawyers for the residents wrote in legal papers.
Two of the court's more conservative justices, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, said they would have dismissed the appeal based on their perspective that the court lacks jurisdiction over the dispute.
Democrats cite an urgency for allowing the district equal representation in Congress, while Republicans decry it as a liberal effort to push their agenda by adding votes in the House and Senate.
While Washington has no voting member of Congress or Senate representation, it is represented in the House by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat. The delegate introduced legislation that would grant statehood to the district, which passed in April.
The court issued a four-sentence order, citing a case from 2000 in which the justices gave the same response, finding Washingtonians do not have a constitutional right to a vote in Congress. The United States District Court for the District of Columbia previously ruled against plaintiffs seeking representation in March 2020, maintaining that they do not live in a "state."
The voters who petitioned for the Supreme Court to act argued that their inability to vote for members of Congress violated their rights to equal protection and due process, pointing out that voting rights extend to overseas residents but do not apply to residents in Washington.
"Residents of the District of Columbia are the only adult American citizens subject to federal income taxes who lack voting representation in Congress, except for felons in some States," lawyers for the residents wrote in legal papers.
Two of the court's more conservative justices, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, said they would have dismissed the appeal based on their perspective that the court lacks jurisdiction over the dispute.
Democrats cite an urgency for allowing the district equal representation in Congress, while Republicans decry it as a liberal effort to push their agenda by adding votes in the House and Senate.
While Washington has no voting member of Congress or Senate representation, it is represented in the House by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat. The delegate introduced legislation that would grant statehood to the district, which passed in April.
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