Federal authorities have officially joined a legal challenge brought forward by California Republicans, aiming to halt the California's recently passed electoral boundaries.
This court case, submitted to a US district court, targets the redistricting plan championed by the state's Democratic governor, which was developed in response to a GOP redistricting effort in Texas.
"California's redistricting scheme represents a blatant attempt to seize control that violates civil rights and mocks the electoral system," declared the US attorney general.
The Democratic party have voiced assurance that the new maps will survive legal scrutiny.
"These opponents were defeated in the election and they are likely to also lose in court," commented a representative for the governor.
Legal Basis
The lawsuit claims that California's map wrongfully utilized racial considerations to significantly advantage Latino communities in contravention of the US Constitution.
"Race cannot be used as a proxy to further partisan goals, but that is exactly what the state legislature did with the redistricting measure," argued a senior official from the DOJ's civil rights unit.
Political Context
The legal battle constitutes the major response by the Democratic party in the continuing redistricting war that began in Texas and has spread across multiple states.
In contrast to elsewhere, where GOP-controlled legislatures have implemented partisan maps, California's plan needed public consent, which it obtained with nearly 65% of the vote.
Wider Consequences
Democrats need to flip just a handful of Republican-held House seats to gain majority of the House of Representatives in next year's midterm election.
The party that holds the majority will influence the remaining period of the current administration, deciding if a GOP-controlled legislature will continue to deliver its political program or encounter opposition, congressional probes and possible further challenges.
- Legal counsel for the challengers is being provided by a prominent law firm
- The managing partner currently holds the position of senior DOJ official
- However, this attorney has been removed from the current litigation
