President Donald Trump’s top appellate lawyer has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow him to argue in defense of Texas political maps that were found to be discriminatory by a lower court.

Solicitor General Noel Francisco asked to split time with Texas lawyers when the court hears oral argument in the case on April 24, saying Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton supports the request….’

The Justice Department under President Barack Obama originally joined civil rights groups, Democratic politicians and minority voters in challenging the Texas maps as discriminatory. Under Attorney General Jeff Sessions and other Trump appointees, the agency switched to supporting the maps as legal.