Federal authorities have entered the fray in a lawsuit brought forward by California Republicans, aiming to prevent the California's newly approved electoral boundaries.
This legal action, submitted to federal court, challenges the redistricting plan championed by Governor Gavin Newsom, which was developed in reaction against a Republican-led gerrymander in Texas.
"The state's redistricting scheme constitutes a blatant attempt to seize control that violates voting rights and mocks the electoral system," declared the US attorney general.
Democrats have voiced assurance that the redistricting plan will survive court challenges.
"These opponents were defeated in the election and soon they will face defeat in the judicial system," stated a spokesperson for Governor Newsom.
Constitutional Challenge
The legal challenge claims that California's map improperly used race as a factor to heavily favor Hispanic voters in contravention of the US Constitution.
"Race cannot be used as a substitute to advance political interests, but that is exactly what the California General Assembly did with Proposition 50," stated 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 extended to various parts of the country.
Unlike other states, where Republican state legislatures have implemented partisan maps, California's plan needed public consent, which it received with approximately two-thirds of the vote.
National Implications
The Democratic party need to flip just a handful of GOP-controlled House seats to gain majority of the chamber in next year's congressional elections.
The political group controlling 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 possible additional obstacles.
- Legal counsel for the challengers is being provided by a prominent law firm
- The managing partner currently serves as senior DOJ official
- Nevertheless, this attorney has been removed from this particular case
