The U.S. Justice Department wants a judge to declare that a Pennsylvania city's method of electing council members citywide instead of by districts has illegally diluted the political power of its growing Hispanic population, arguing in a lawsuit that Hazleton is violating the federal Voting Rights Act.
A complaint filed Tuesday in Scranton federal court claims the “at-large” system "results in Hispanic citizens not having an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and to elect candidates of their choice.”
The Justice Department under outgoing Democratic President Joe Biden is seeking a court order that the city, the five-member City Council and Republican Mayor Jeff Cusat come up with a new system.
Cusat and City Council President Jim Perry issued a statement Wednesday saying the election method does allow Hispanic people an equal chance to participate.
“The current at-large system in the City of Hazleton gives equal voting rights to all citizens regardless of their race or gender,” they said.
Hazleton's growing cohort of Hispanic voters has not turned out in sufficient numbers to get one of their own elected, Perry said in a phone interview Wednesday, noting there are Hispanic people serving on city boards and authorities.
“They run and they don’t make it,” said Perry, a Republican. “So it just, to me, is you got to vote.”
“The Hispanic population is a growing and important population" in Hazleton, U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam said in a news release. “Those citizens should have the ability to choose candidates that represent their interests.”
Hazleton’s 30,000 residents are about two-thirds Hispanic, one third non-Hispanic white and less than 2% non-Hispanic Black, the lawsuit stated. The voting age population of 17,000 is about 53% non-Hispanic white, about 43% Hispanic and nearly 4% non-Hispanic black.
“Hazleton’s Hispanic community, including Spanish speakers who are limited-English-proficient, continue to suffer from the effects of discrimination in education, employment, housing and policing,” the Justice Department argued.
No Hispanic candidate has ever been elected to the Hazleton City Council or appointed to fill a council vacancy, according to the lawsuit. It alleges that “racially polarized voting patterns characterize” council elections, with Hispanic candidates having difficulty raising funds, getting endorsements and being invited to panel discussions and other campaign events.
State Rep. Manny Guzman, a Democrat from Reading and vice chairperson of the Pennsylvania Legislative Latino Caucus, said he thinks the lawsuit will improve the political power of Hazleton’s Hispanic residents.
“Something is going on in the mechanics of local government up there that’s obviously preventing Latinos from earning their rightful place at these tables and in these seats,” Guzman said.
A separate lawsuit filed a year ago by two Hispanic parents that is currently pending before the same judge, U.S. District Judge Karoline Mehalchick, alleges the at-large system of voting for members of the Hazleton Area School Board also has shut out Hispanic voters in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
The school district filed a response in November that said it has not violated the federal law or “denied or abridged the right of anyone to vote on account of race or color.”
FILE - Cashier Rosa Dilone serves customers at Mi Tierra Supermarket in Hazleton, Pa., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Scolforo, File)
ROME (AP) — Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni said Thursday that her government is in talks with several private companies, including Elon Musk’s SpaceX, over the country’s telecoms security system, but denied having discussed the issue privately with Musk.
“I never talked about this with Musk. It’s not my habit to use my public role to do favors to friends,” Meloni said, responding to reporters’ questions during her start-of-the-year press conference on a possible deal with Musk’s group over Italian telecoms security.
Meloni stressed that national interest was “the only lens” through which she judged such potential contracts with SpaceX, the owner of satellite system Starlink.
Reportedly worth 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) and spread over five years, the project sparked an outcry by Italy's opposition parties, questioning that the handling of such communications could be handed to a Musk company.
If the deal is sealed, SpaceX would provide encryption services for the Italian government and communications infrastructure for the military and emergency services.
Earlier this week, Meloni denied forging such a deal with Musk – who has developed a friendly relationship with the Italian premier. A government statement went even further, “categorically” denying that a SpaceX deal was discussed during Meloni’s recent meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Mar-a-Lago.
“SpaceX allows very delicate information to be communicated securely on a diplomatic and military level,” Meloni told Thursday’s press conference. “Regarding the method, I can say that these are discussions that the government has with many private companies.”
Meloni reiterated that the government is still in an “investigative” phase and no contracts have been signed. “The issue is that there are no public alternatives for these technologies, obviously it’s a question of placing data protection in the hands of a private entity. But the alternative is not having these data protected,” she said.
“Both scenarios are not ideal … If one day communications of sensitive data end up in the wrong hands, the government is responsible,” she added.
SpaceX has been approached by email for comment.
Meloni also noted that Musk’s political ideas could have been the real reason behind the controversy.
“Is the problem related to private investments or to the political ideas of the investors?” she asked the press conference’s audience.
Musk, who’s a close ally of Trump, has openly expressed his enthusiasm for a possible collaboration with Rome, writing on X that his company is “ready to provide Italy the most secure and advanced connectivity.”
Already active in Italy since 2021, Starlink could expand its services to include emergencies, such as disasters or terrorist attacks. Musk’s group is also developing another project for defence and sensitive operations called Starshield.
Experts in the security field have stressed the increasing sensitivity of European countries sealing partnerships with SpaceX, whose success has put increasing pressure on Europe’s satellite and telecoms industry.
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni holds the 2024 year-end press conference, in Rome, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni holds the 2024 year-end press conference, in Rome, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni holds the 2024 year-end press conference, in Rome, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni holds the 2024 year-end press conference, in Rome, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni holds the 2024 year-end press conference, in Rome, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni holds the 2024 year-end press conference, in Rome, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni holds the 2024 year-end press conference, in Rome, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni holds the 2024 year-end press conference, in Rome, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni holds the 2024 year-end press conference, in Rome, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni holds the 2024 year-end press conference, in Rome, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
