Facebook Twitter Email
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2003

Democrats in Montana are playing the "race card" in a dispute over a legislative proposal that will limit the number of Indian-majority voting districts, a leading state lawmaker says in an opinion published in The Billings Gazette.

House majority leader Roy Brown (R) says the six existing Indian-majority districts are enough for now because the Legislature has adequate Indian representation. "The process works," he says.

He says a plan drawn up by a state committee to create one additional district limits the "legislative influence" of tribes and erodes their sovereignty. "Republicans have offered to defend the Native American majority districts so any racial statements are purely to divert attention from the facts," he says.

Get the Story:
Guest Opinion: New law takes the politics out of legislative redistricting (The Billings Gazette. 2/12)

Related Stories:
Plan to redraw Indian districts 'unconstitutional' (2/7)
Indian legislators discuss priorities (01/24)
Mont. now has seven Indian lawmakers (11/08)
Mont. GOP claims Indian districts a ploy (08/12)