The Hinds County Republican Party and the county’s only white
supervisor are suing four black county supervisors, charging race was
used improperly as a factor in redrawing district voting lines. The
lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Jackson, claims the
majority-black Hinds County Board of Supervisors used “impermissible
racial considerations” when redrawing district lines. The redistricting plan for the supervisors was adopted in February 2011.
The lawsuit claims that George Smith, who was then president of the
Hinds County Board of Supervisors, admitted to Pete Perry, the county
Republican Party’s chairman, that race was the consideration in drawing
new district lines for black voting populations.
“Look Pete, this
is a black county, we have black leadership, we are going to hire black
people, and elect black people. Get over it,” Smith said, according to
the lawsuit.