Kagan Delivers Passionate Dissent in Redistricting Cases

“With respect but deep sadness, Justices Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, and I dissent.” That’s how Justice Elena Kagan closed her dissent from the bench in the closely watched partisan gerrymandering cases June 27.

Her voice cracked as she read it, and she later wiped her face with a tissue.

Kagan was speaking for the court’s more liberal justices, who spoke only through her dissenting opinion in the consequential cases that could shape redistricting going forward.

Just mentioning the other justices in her closing—most dissents end simply with some version of “I dissent"—can be read both as a sign of solidarity among ...