Brown suggested that the action was part of a political
attack against her.
“The 5th congressional district is under attack through the
redistricting process, and now it is under siege by other political forces,”
she said. “It is not surprising that every time we go through the redistricting
process some tangential investigation comes up.”
The new CD5 remains a minority-access seat with about 45
percent black voters. But Brown says “the base map entirely dilutes and
disperses minority communities.”
Both black justices on the court, E.C. Perry and Peggy
Quince, said that the new District 5 is fair to minority voters. Perry, in a
concurring opinion that Quince joined, criticized “line-drawers who create
districts for political advantage, but disingenuously cloak their explanations
in the language of protecting minority voting rights.”
Former Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll said the federal investigation
involving Brown might be linked to either the lawsuit or Brown’s political
endorsements. According to News4Jax:
"News4Jax political analyst Jennifer Carroll [said] the investigation could be related to Brown's legal challenge to redistricting, or it could be something more serious, perhaps related to 'Brown's Quick Picks' -- endorsements Brown gives other candidates during elections."Carroll said concerns have been raised about how those endorsements are obtained."'The tone in itself that it's politically-motivated could lend itself that her involvement in the last campaign for the City Council races, that she was physically picking sides,' Carroll said."