California Republican lawmakers filed a lawsuit Tuesday asking the state Supreme Court to block Democrats from moving forward with a plan to redraw the state’s congressional map.
Four Republican state lawmakers filed an emergency petition with the California Supreme Court to halt what they describe as state Democrats’ “unconstitutional” plan to rush through the redistricting process. State lawmakers are expected to vote and approve bills soon that will place a new congressional district map on the ballot for a Nov. 4 special election.
The lawsuit is the latest in the escalating national redistricting battle, which began when Texas Republicans advanced a mid-decade congressional map that is expected to create five new Republican seats. Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom responded by launching his own redistricting plan to “completely neuter and neutralize” the Texas GOP’s move.
Newsom’s plan to redraw California’s congressional maps requires transferring redistricting authority from the state’s constitutionally mandated independent commission to the state Legislature through a statewide referendum.
The Republican state lawmakers, represented by the Dhillon Law Group, contend that the Democrats’ actions violate the state Constitution’s requirement for a 30-day public review period for new legislation. California lawmakers have used a tactic known as “gut and amend” to revise two unrelated bills, inserting language related to redistricting in order to circumvent this requirement, the lawsuit alleges.
“Instead of a months-long transparent and participatory process overseen by an independent citizens redistricting commission for such a sensitive matter, the public would be presented instead with an up or down vote on maps unilaterally prepared in secret by the Legislature,” the lawsuit states.
The lawmakers are asking the California Supreme Court to delay activity on the redistricting bills until Sept. 18 to ensure that the public’s right to review is honored.
The National Republican Congressional Committee also stated on Friday that it is “prepared to fight this illegal power grab in the courts and at the ballot box to stop Newsom in his tracks.”
“Republicans are filing a deeply unserious (and truly laughable) lawsuit to stop Americans from voting?” Brandon Richards, Newsom’s deputy director for rapid response, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “We’re neither surprised, nor worried.”
Regardless of how the courts rule, California Democrats may face an uphill battle. A recent poll found that Californians prefer the independent panel over letting the Legislature decide congressional boundaries by nearly a two-to-one margin.
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