The US Justice Department has officially joined a lawsuit initiated by California Republicans, seeking to halt the California's newly approved electoral boundaries.
This legal action, submitted to federal court, targets the redistricting plan championed by the state's Democratic governor, which was developed in reaction against a Republican-led gerrymander in Texas.
"California's electoral map constitutes a blatant attempt to seize control that tramples on civil rights and undermines the electoral system," declared the US attorney general.
Democrats have expressed confidence that the redistricting plan will withstand legal scrutiny.
"These opponents were defeated in the election and soon they will face defeat in the judicial system," stated a representative for the governor.
Legal Basis
The lawsuit asserts that California's map improperly used race as a factor to significantly advantage Hispanic voters in violation of the federal constitution.
"It is unconstitutional to use race as a proxy to further partisan goals, but that is exactly what the California General Assembly did with the redistricting measure," stated a senior official from the Civil Rights Division.
Political Context
The legal battle represents the major counterpunch by the Democratic party in the continuing redistricting war that began in Texas and has extended to various parts of the country.
Unlike other states, where Republican state legislatures have enacted gerrymanders, California's plan needed voter approval, which it obtained with nearly 65% of the vote.
National Implications
Democrats need to flip just a small number of GOP-controlled House seats to gain majority of the House of Representatives in next year's midterm election.
The party that holds the controlling share will influence the final years of the sitting president's term, deciding if a unified Republican Congress will continue to deliver its political program or encounter opposition, congressional probes and potential additional obstacles.
- Legal counsel for the challengers is being handled by a well-known legal group
- The managing partner currently serves as assistant attorney general
- Nevertheless, this attorney has been removed from the current litigation
