North Carolina redistricting attorney who fell short in federal confirmation fight dies at 69

By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina redistricting and election law attorney nominated several times for a federal judgeship but never confirmed has died. A colleague of Thomas Farr says he died Monday at age 69 after a series of heart problems. Farr had been involved in several key redistricting and voting rights cases going back to the 1990s. During his final nomination process in 2018, two GOP senators opposed his confirmation, scuttling his ascension to the bench. Civil rights groups and Democrats criticized Farr for defending laws that judges had declared racially discriminatory. Law partner Phil Strach called Farr a “legal titan,” while North Carolina Republican House Speaker Tim Moore also praised Farr’s legal contributions.