The US Justice Department have entered the fray in a legal challenge brought forward by California Republicans, aiming to block the state's recently passed electoral boundaries.
This court case, submitted to a US district court, targets the redistricting plan supported by the state's Democratic governor, which was created in reaction against a GOP redistricting effort in Texas.
"California's electoral map constitutes a blatant attempt to seize control that tramples on civil rights and mocks the electoral system," declared the US attorney general.
Democrats have voiced assurance that the new maps will withstand legal scrutiny.
"The plaintiffs lost at the ballot box and soon they will also lose in court," commented a representative for the governor.
Legal Basis
The legal challenge claims that California's map improperly used racial considerations to significantly advantage Hispanic voters in contravention of the US Constitution.
"Race cannot be used as a proxy to advance political interests, but that is precisely what the state legislature did with the redistricting measure," argued a senior official from the Civil Rights Division.
Broader Implications
The legal battle constitutes the major counterpunch by Democrats in the continuing redistricting war that started with Texas and has spread across various parts of the country.
Unlike other states, where GOP-controlled legislatures have enacted gerrymanders, California's plan needed voter approval, which it obtained with nearly 65% of the vote.
National Implications
The Democratic party need to gain just a handful of Republican-held House seats to gain majority of the chamber in next year's midterm election.
The political group controlling the controlling share will influence the final years of the current administration, determining whether a unified Republican Congress will continue to deliver its agenda or encounter opposition, investigations and potential additional obstacles.
- Legal representation 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 recused from this particular case
