Thread by @_justinlevitt_

Over the last 2 years, I've been highlighting briefs by DOJ political appointees that career lawyers won't sign. There are only a few. It's a red flag.

DOJ just filed its brief on Texas precelearance.

The career folks didn't sign. Because it's trash.

big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/athena/files/2…

DOJ got into this case in 2013 for 1 reason: to ask for preclearance, based on Texas's _intentional_ discrimination in 2011.

Nothing about that 2011 action has changed. And Texas's incentives have only gotten worse.

Now DOJ, in a truly stunning reversal that fights against 50 years of VRA enforcement under D and R AGs, is asking to make Texas's intentional discriination consequence-free.

If they succeed, nobody should be surprised when Texas, a racism recidivist, reoffends next cycle.

I've repeatedly said that the case for putting Texas back under preclearance is like the inverse of New York, New York: if you can make it anywhere, you can make it there.

Texas acted to cut off Latino voting power in 2003. They got smacked by SCOTUS for it in 2006. They did _the same thing_ _in the same district_ in 2011.

DOJ was absolutely right to get in in 2013. There's no legal reason for an about-face now.

Which is why John Gore's name is on the signature line, rather than any of the career attorneys.

Much more to say about this tomorrow.

I've praised this DOJ when they've deserved it.

Tonight's not one of those times.