The US Justice Department has entered the fray in a lawsuit brought forward by California Republicans, seeking to halt the state's newly approved electoral boundaries.
This court case, filed in a US district court, challenges the map supported by the state's Democratic governor, which was created in reaction against a Republican-led gerrymander in Texas.
"The state's redistricting scheme constitutes a blatant attempt to seize control that tramples on civil rights and undermines the democratic process," stated the nation's top law enforcement official.
The Democratic party have voiced assurance that the redistricting plan will survive legal scrutiny.
"The plaintiffs were defeated in the election and they are likely to face defeat in the judicial system," commented a representative for the governor.
Constitutional Challenge
The legal challenge asserts that California's map improperly used racial considerations to heavily favor Hispanic voters in contravention of the US Constitution.
"Race cannot be used as a substitute to further partisan goals, but that is precisely what the state legislature did with Proposition 50," stated a senior official from the Civil Rights Division.
Political Context
The legal battle represents the major response by the Democratic party in the continuing political battle that began in Texas and has spread across various parts of the country.
In contrast to elsewhere, where Republican state legislatures have implemented partisan maps, 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 small number of Republican-held House seats to take control of the House of Representatives 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 GOP-controlled legislature will persist in implementing its agenda or face resistance, congressional probes and possible further challenges.
- Legal counsel for the plaintiffs is being handled by a prominent law firm
- The firm's founder currently serves as senior DOJ official
- However, this attorney has been removed from this particular case
