By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-825894.mp3
Dallas, TX – A voting rights lawsuit has been filed in Dallas federal court to stop work on a convention center hotel. The lawsuit says nothing should happen until AFTER the May 9th vote on whether the city should build it. KERA's BJ Austin reports.
The lawsuit says the city has "actively engaged in a systematic effort to prevent the plaintiffs and other minority citizens from actually being able to exercise their right to vote." The lawsuit notes that if bonds to build the hotel are sold BEFORE the May 9th vote, the hotel would likely proceed regardless of the outcome of that vote, according to the current city charter. Lawyer James Vagnini filed the lawsuit.
Vagnini: It asks that the court enter a declaratory judgment which would stay any construction, any matter dealing with this development - issuance of bonds, anything - until that vote occurs in May.
Mayor Tom Leppert, in a statement, calls the lawsuit "ridiculous". He says the election has already been submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice for pre-clearance as is required by law," and the vote is going forward.