On October 16, the U.S. Supreme Court removed Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians v Howe from its November 7 conference. This is the case on North Dakota legislative redistricting. The lower court had ruled that the case couldn’t even be considered because only the federal government can file lawsuits using the Voting Rights Act. Probably the U.S. Supreme Court won’t consider whether to hear the North Dakota case until after it decides the pending Louisiana districting case.

In other U.S. Supreme Court news, the court will hear oral argument in National Republican Senatorial Committee v Federal Election Commission on December 9. This is the case over the federal campaign finance law that restricts political party spending.