Attorneys for the plaintiffs say there’s no proof that racially gerrymandered maps favoring Hispanics were necessary.
California Republicans aren’t taking Tuesday’s landslide victory for redistricting sitting down, instead announcing the morning after the statewide special election that they have filed a federal lawsuit to challenge Proposition 50.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs alleged the ballot measure violates the 14th and 15th amendments by unconstitutionally gerrymandering congressional districts to favor one race.
Although the U.S. Supreme Court has in the past permitted gerrymandered maps in limited instances to protect minority voters under the Voting Rights Act, the attorneys said there was no proof that gerrymandering to favor Hispanics, in the case of Proposition 50, was necessary.
Aside from the California Republican Party, Assemblymember David Tangipa, R-Clovis, and 18 California voters are parties to the lawsuit. It named as defendants Gov. Gavin Newsom, who pushed for Proposition 50, as well as California Secretary of State Shirley Weber.
“We haven’t reviewed the lawsuit, but if it’s from the California Republican Party and (U.S. Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General) Harmeet Dhillon’s law firm, it’s going to fail,” said Brandon Richards, a spokesperson for Newsom’s office.
