The California Supreme Court has dismissed a Republican petition that sought to halt Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to place a mid-decade congressional redraw on the November ballot, saying that “petitioners [GOP lawmakers] have failed to meet their burden of establishing a basis for relief at this time under California Constitution article IV, section 8.” The unsigned order, issued Aug. 20, leaves in place Democrats’ “gut-and-amend” legislation that would temporarily suspend the state’s independent redistricting commission and let voters decide whether to adopt new maps projected to add up to five Democratic seats, an answer to Texas Republicans’ July remap.
The court offered no full opinion, but noted the challengers did not show irreparable harm; six Democratic-appointed justices joined the result, and the court’s lone Republican appointee did not participate. Republican legislators and the National Republican Congressional Committee say they will pursue additional lawsuits, arguing the maneuver undercuts the voter-approved commission and violates procedural notice rules, while Democratic leaders defend the plan as proportional retaliation to mid-cycle redistricting elsewhere. Read more at TheHill.com
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