Adam Kincaid, director of the National Republican Redistricting Trust, testified in Federal court this week as part of the lawsuit challenging Texas's new congressional map.
Kincaid, who is the architect of the controversial map, acknowledged under oath that he worked closely with the Republican National Committee (RNC), the White House, and Texas officials during the map creation.
He also admitted to using Signal, an encrypted messaging app with auto-delete settings, to communicate with federal officials, which raised concerns about transparency and accountability.
"I don't think it's right to use race when drawing maps," Kincaid commented, denying that racial data played a role in his design process.
However, he testified that he saw a draft of a Department of Justice (DOJ) letter urging Texas to redraw its districts due to racial concerns, and that he discussed the letter with DOJ officials and Governor Greg Abbott (R) before it was made public.
"My view of the DOJ letter was that it was unnecessary," he said. "Some parts were accurate, others were not."
Despite drawing the map, Kincaid was presented by Texas attorneys as a lay witness, which prevented plaintiffs from questioning him on technical methods or data.
If the new map is upheld, it could net Republicans five additional congressional seats in the upcoming midterm elections.
Texas maintains that the map was drawn purely for partisan advantage. Plaintiffs argue it's a racial gerrymander that violates federal law.
