House Democrats are hammering President Trump and GOP leaders for their effort to redraw the congressional map in Texas, accusing the Republicans of “rigging” the system to keep a grip on power — and purposefully disenfranchising millions of minority voters in the process.

“The truth of the matter is: Somebody has to have the courage to say that it's racism,” Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, told reporters Thursday morning in Austin. “Unfortunately, we have grown to the point in this country where you can use racism against people of color, but people of color can't respond and say, 'That's racism.'”

The outcry comes in response to a proposed congressional map unveiled Wednesday by Texas Republicans at Trump’s urging. The new lines, if approved, are designed to flip at least five Democratic seats to the GOP, making it much harder for Democrats to seize control of the lower chamber in next year’s midterm elections.

The Trump administration, in pushing Texas GOP leaders to redraw the lines, argued the change is needed because........

© The Hill