Difference between revisions of "Jury trial amendment"
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Following the removal of Title III which authorized additional powers for the [[United States Attorney General]] to seek preventive relief in civil rights cases,<ref>[https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1951-2000/The-Civil-Rights-Act-of-1957/ The Civil Rights Act of 1957]. ''US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/s71 HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. AMENDMENT TO DELETE AUTHORITY FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL TO SEEK PREVENTIVE RELIEF IN CIVIL RIGHTS CASES UNDER THE 14TH AMENDMENT.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref> the jury trial amendment aimed to halt any further substantial progress. It required jury trials in all cases of criminal contempt, which in the South would result in a white defendant being acquitted by their segregationist peers in practically any case where they were accused by blacks of violating voting rights.<ref name=kennedysandking/> | Following the removal of Title III which authorized additional powers for the [[United States Attorney General]] to seek preventive relief in civil rights cases,<ref>[https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1951-2000/The-Civil-Rights-Act-of-1957/ The Civil Rights Act of 1957]. ''US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/s71 HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. AMENDMENT TO DELETE AUTHORITY FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL TO SEEK PREVENTIVE RELIEF IN CIVIL RIGHTS CASES UNDER THE 14TH AMENDMENT.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref> the jury trial amendment aimed to halt any further substantial progress. It required jury trials in all cases of criminal contempt, which in the South would result in a white defendant being acquitted by their segregationist peers in practically any case where they were accused by blacks of violating voting rights.<ref name=kennedysandking/> | ||
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| + | The amendment passed on August 2, 1957 by a 51–42 vote.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/s73 HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. AMENDMENT TO GUARANTEE JURY TRIALS IN ALL CASES OF CRIMINAL CONTEMPT AND PROVIDE UNIFORM METHODS FOR SELECTING FEDERAL COURT JURIES.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref> 80% of Democrats voted ''yea'' on weakening the Civil Rights Act of 1957, compared to only 26% of Republicans. The Democrats who ensured the passage of the amendment were '''not''' exclusive to the Southern bloc, as a number of their Northern colleagues (who were largely [[New Deal]] [[liberals]]) including [[Joseph O'Mahoney]], [[Mike Mansfield]], and [[James E. Murray]] supported it. Then-senator [[John F. Kennedy]] of [[Massachusetts]] initially opposed the jury trial amendment, though voted ''yea'' after being lobbied by Johnson.<ref name=kennedysandking/> | ||
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| + | The following table shows the percentage of affirmative votes for the amendment by region and party:<ref group=note>In the table, senators from the states of Kentucky, Oklahoma, Maryland, and West Virginia are not included as being part of the Southern bloc.</ref> | ||
| + | {|class="wikitable" style="font-size:120%" | ||
| + | | | ||
| + | !<font color=red>Republican</font> | ||
| + | !<font color=blue>Democrat</font> | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | !Northern | ||
| + | |'''26%''' (12/46) | ||
| + | |'''63%''' (17/27) | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | !Southern | ||
| + | |N/A (0/0) | ||
| + | |'''100%''' (22/22) | ||
| + | |} | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | *[[U.S. "Party-switch" myth]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Note== | ||
| + | {{reflist1904|group=note}} | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
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[[Category:United States Politics]] | [[Category:United States Politics]] | ||
[[Category:United States Senate]] | [[Category:United States Senate]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Lyndon B. Johnson]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Liberal Deceit]] | ||
[[Category:1950s]] | [[Category:1950s]] | ||
Latest revision as of 02:43, August 5, 2021
When the United States Senate took up the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the jury trial amendment was introduced and passed, which weakened the legislation to being effectively toothless. The scheme was masterminded by then-Senate Majority Leader (and later president) Lyndon B. Johnson, who compromised with the Southern segregationists to pass a weak bill rather than oversee a defeat under a filibuster.[1]
Following the removal of Title III which authorized additional powers for the United States Attorney General to seek preventive relief in civil rights cases,[2][3] the jury trial amendment aimed to halt any further substantial progress. It required jury trials in all cases of criminal contempt, which in the South would result in a white defendant being acquitted by their segregationist peers in practically any case where they were accused by blacks of violating voting rights.[1]
The amendment passed on August 2, 1957 by a 51–42 vote.[4] 80% of Democrats voted yea on weakening the Civil Rights Act of 1957, compared to only 26% of Republicans. The Democrats who ensured the passage of the amendment were not exclusive to the Southern bloc, as a number of their Northern colleagues (who were largely New Deal liberals) including Joseph O'Mahoney, Mike Mansfield, and James E. Murray supported it. Then-senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts initially opposed the jury trial amendment, though voted yea after being lobbied by Johnson.[1]
The following table shows the percentage of affirmative votes for the amendment by region and party:[note 1]
| Republican | Democrat | |
|---|---|---|
| Northern | 26% (12/46) | 63% (17/27) |
| Southern | N/A (0/0) | 100% (22/22) |
See also
Note
- ↑ In the table, senators from the states of Kentucky, Oklahoma, Maryland, and West Virginia are not included as being part of the Southern bloc.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 DiEugenio, James (October 7, 2018). The Kennedys and Civil Rights: How the MSM Continues to Distort History, Part 2. Kennedys and King. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ↑ The Civil Rights Act of 1957. US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ↑ HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. AMENDMENT TO DELETE AUTHORITY FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL TO SEEK PREVENTIVE RELIEF IN CIVIL RIGHTS CASES UNDER THE 14TH AMENDMENT.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ↑ HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. AMENDMENT TO GUARANTEE JURY TRIALS IN ALL CASES OF CRIMINAL CONTEMPT AND PROVIDE UNIFORM METHODS FOR SELECTING FEDERAL COURT JURIES.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
