Opponents of VA Redistricting Amendment Send Out Mailer/Text Falsely (and Offensively!) Claiming That Fighting Trump’s Assault on Our Democracy Is “Just Like Jim Crow”

UPDATE #2 on 3/9: AG Jay Jones responds:

Statement from Attorney General Jay Jones on Misleading Mailers Targeting Black Voters

Richmond, VA – Attorney General Jay Jones released the following statement regarding deceptive mailers being sent to Black voters about Virginia’s redistricting referendum.

“As Virginia’s first Black Attorney General, I take very seriously the history that is being invoked in these mailers. Reports indicate that a group opposing the redistricting referendum has sent materials to Black voters that misuse imagery from the Civil Rights Movement and even invoke Jim Crow while falsely suggesting the measure threatens Black representation.

My parents and grandparents lived through the reality of Jim Crow in Virginia. They experienced firsthand what it meant when the law and the political system were used to silence Black voices. That history is not a political prop, and it should never be exploited in a misleading attempt to confuse voters.

Virginians deserve honest information about the choices before them. Invoking the pain and sacrifice of the civil rights movement while spreading misleading claims about this referendum disrespects the very people who fought to secure the right to vote and have their voices heard.”

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UPDATED 3/9: The Virginia NAACP responds:

NAACP Virginia State Conference Calls Out Deceptive Tactics Aimed at Undermining Black Voter Participation

Richmond, Virginia – The NAACP Virginia State Conference strongly supports voting “yes” for the Redistricting Referendum, which is crucial for maintaining the voting power of Black Virginians. We denounce the manipulative mailers sent by a MAGA-aligned political action committee aimed at deterring Black voters from supporting this referendum, which falsely compare this important measure to Jim Crow—a brutal system that stripped Black Americans of their voting rights. This referendum addresses the manipulation of congressional seats, designed to imbalance representation and secure conservative wins ahead of the November midterm elections. We cannot stand idly by and allow these reprehensible racist tactics go unchallenged.

“While the NAACP is nonpartisan, we are deeply engaged in political advocacy to safeguard our communities,” states Rev. Dr. Cozy Bailey, President of the NAACP Virginia State Conference. “This referendum is crucial for ensuring fair representation for all communities and countering the manipulative tactics that threaten our civil rights.”

We urge all participants in this debate to engage honestly with voters about protecting fair representation and upholding civic accountability in Virginia and across the nation.

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See below for what’s hitting Virginia’s mailboxes and smartphones (via text) today; a group called “Democracy and Justice PAC” – nothing popping up in Google about it, but the mailing address is listed as 123 Bulifants Blvd in Williamsburg, VA (same address as “Campaign Compliance Center“) – sent out the following. The problems with these mailers/texts jump right out at you, of course. For instance:

• First of all, in no way/shape/form is the Democrats’ effort to push back against Trump attempting to rig the midterms, by gerrymandering Democrats into oblivion in “red” states like Texas, akin to Jim Crow (“state and local laws introduced in the Southern United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that enforced racial segregation”).  Actually, if this “Democracy and Justice PAC” had wanted to make that argument, they should have done it about what Republicans did in Texas, where – as the Brennan Center for Justice wrote back in December – the mid-decade gerrymandering Republicans did there could lead to  “an unprecedented loss of representation for Black and Latino communities”; “With the new discriminatory map in place for 2026, Black and Latino communities in Texas are on track to see the first legislatively enacted reduction in their electoral power since the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, though the magnitude of losses could be tempered somewhat by midterm dynamics.”
• Second, of course, just on the actual facts (I know, what a concept, right? LOL) of what’s happening here in Virginia, if the redistricting amendment passes on 4/21 and the proposed new map is approved by voters (and isn’t struck down by the courts), then what will likely happen is that several white Republicans (Rob Wittman, Jen Kiggans, John McGuire and Ben Cline) will lose their US House seats, while ZERO African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, etc. will lose their seats. Yet this mailer/text falsely – with photos of 1960s African-American Civil Rights protesters/marchers – falsely claiming that “Richmond politicians are trying to take our districts away.” Can you get any more inflammatory, not to mention dishonest and offensive, than that? It’s hard to imagine how.
• Third, note the vague “THEY [want to silence your voice]” language they use about who is supposedly doing this horrible thing to dishonor the work of “our ancestors?” What this group does NOT mention, of course, is that some of the top leaders in this effort to fight back against Trump’s vicious assault on our democracy are prominent African-American Democrats like former President Barack Obama, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones, VA Senate President Pro Tem Louise Lucas, Virginia Speaker Don Scott, DPVA Chair Lamont Bagby, Sen. Tim Kaine’s state director Kéren E. Charles Dongo (campaign manager for “Virginians for Fair Elections,” which is urging a YES vote in this referendum), etc, etc. etc. Also, backing this amendment are Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA03), Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA04), and MANY other African Americans. So basically, what this mailer/text is arguing is that leading U.S and Virginia African-Americans are backing an amendment that will “take [African-American] districts away,” “silence” African-Americans’ voices, dishonor African-Americans’ ancestors, etc???  Totally false and absurd, obviously. Also consider that the campaign against this amendment is OVERWHELMINGLY being pushed by white Republicans, who apparently now are claiming to speak for African-Americans. WTF?
• [UPDATE]: Also note that if this amendment passes, representation overall will be BETTER for Black people – and EVERYONE, actually! –  who are currently misrepresented (badly!) by Ben Cline (R-VA06), Jen Kiggans (R-VA02), John McGuire (R-VA05) or Rob Wittman (R-VA01). In all those cases, there will be major upgrades in representation  – the godawful Jen Kiggans to the superb Elaine Luria, for instance; worse-than-worthless Ben Cline to Tom Perriello or Beth Macy; etc.

Anyway, the bottom line is that this effort is dishonest, offensive, and if there’s any justice in the world will backfire BIG TIME.  Let’s all make sure that it does just that, by voting early (or on April 21) YES on the amendment, and also making sure we remind everyone we know to do the same!

UPDATE – Check this out, courtesy of Virginia Democrat Matt Royer

UPDATE 3/9 on this item: I’m told that there was a mix-up from the treasurer who reported the donation to the wrong organization, and that former Del. Fralin’s name is going to be removed. Of course, that doesn’t change the fact that Republicans are behind this disgusting campaign…