The California Supreme Court denied a request from four Republican state legislators to delay Democratic action on congressional redistricting, finding the legal challenge did not meet the burden for relief under the California Constitution. The Republicans argued Democrats violated state law by failing to wait 30 days before taking up related bills and pledged continued court and ballot-box challenges, calling the effort an unconstitutional power grab and decrying secret backroom deals. Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Democratic legislators are pursuing redistricting changes intended to counteract the Texas Legislature's effort to redraw maps to increase Republican representation, a move tied to President Trump and addressed by Barack Obama.
We will continue to challenge this unconstitutional power grab in the courts and at the ballot box, the legislators said in a statement after the ruling. Californians deserve fair, transparent elections, not secret backroom deals to protect politicians. State Sens. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach, and Suzette Martinez Valladares, R-Acton, and Assemblymembers Tri Ta, R-Westminster, and Kate Sanchez, R-Trabuco Canyon, made the request.
Obama said that while he opposes partisan gerrymandering, Republicans in Texas acting at President Trump's behest have forced Democrats' hand. If Democrats don't respond effectively, then this White House and Republican-controlled state governments all across the country, they will not stop, because they do not appear to believe in this idea of an inclusive, expansive democracy, he said at a fundraiser Tuesday in Martha's Vineyard th
Collection
[
|
...
]