Kamala Harris targets SCOTUS ruling on Voting Rights Act: 'It's an outrage, but not a surprise'

WASHINGTON, DC: Former Vice President Kamala Harris issued a scathing rebuke of the Supreme Court on Wednesday, April 29, calling the decision to curtail federal voting protections "an outrage" that "turns back the clock on the foundational promise of equality."

Harris’ comments followed a 6-3 ruling that limited Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

The decision found that race was used as the predominant factor in violation of the 14th Amendment, a move she characterized as a calculated strike against "Black and brown voters" to "dilute their political power."

Kamala Harris slams Supreme Court ruling as politically driven

Kamala Harris directly accused the Supreme Court of acting to further a long-standing partisan strategy.

"It is an outrage. But it is not a surprise," Harris stated. "It is part of an agenda that conservatives set in place decades ago to steal power from everyday people and then cling to that power for generations."

Harris further accused the justices of timing the decision to specifically benefit the former president’s party.

"The court’s decision is motivated by politics and designed to give an upper hand to Donald Trump’s Republican Party, which faces the threat of losing the upcoming midterm elections," she said.

Kamala Harris flags state-led redistricting push post court decision

As the ruling limited Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, Harris accused the court of stripping away the nation’s remaining safeguards.

She warned that Section 2 was "one of the last remaining federal protections for Black and brown voters against maps deliberately drawn to dilute their political power," but lamented that "that protection has been stripped away."

She accused state leaders of rushing to grab as much power as possible under these new rules.

"The fight now returns to the states. Legislatures, particularly those in the South, will rush to redraw districts before voting for the midterms begins in just a few months," Harris warned.

"Already, Louisiana and Florida are planning to redraw their maps, and we should not be surprised if others rapidly follow suit ahead of the midterms and 2028."

Kamala Harris says Republicans using court ruling to avoid blame

Furthermore, Harris accused Republicans of using the court’s decision to avoid accountability for the economy.

"Their politically-motivated power grab is meant to protect elected Republicans from any consequences for their failure to make groceries, gas, health care, or housing more affordable for you and your family," she said.

"They want to cheat and choose their voters, instead of the voters deciding who they choose."

Concluding her remarks with a call to action, the former vice president emphasized the high stakes of the upcoming election cycles.

"The mission before us is to restore the power of the people," Harris concluded. "There is no question our fight became harder today, but I know we are up for the battle."