The US Justice Department has officially joined a lawsuit brought forward by California Republicans, seeking to halt the state's recently passed congressional redistricting map.
This legal action, filed in federal court, targets the map championed by the state's Democratic governor, which was created in reaction against a GOP redistricting effort in Texas.
"The state's redistricting scheme represents a brazen power grab that tramples on voting rights and undermines the electoral system," declared the US attorney general.
The Democratic party have voiced assurance that the redistricting plan will survive court challenges.
"The plaintiffs were defeated in the election and soon they will face defeat in the judicial system," commented a representative for the governor.
Constitutional Challenge
The lawsuit asserts 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 California General Assembly did with the redistricting measure," stated a high-ranking representative from the Civil Rights Division.
Broader Implications
The legal battle constitutes the major counterpunch by Democrats in the ongoing political battle that started with Texas and has extended to various parts of the country.
Unlike other states, where GOP-controlled legislatures have enacted gerrymanders, California's plan needed voter approval, which it received with nearly 65% of the vote.
Wider Consequences
The Democratic party need to gain just a handful of Republican-held House seats to gain majority of the House of Representatives in next year's midterm election.
The political group controlling the majority will influence the final years of the current administration, deciding if a GOP-controlled legislature will continue to deliver its political program or encounter opposition, congressional probes 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 removed from the current litigation
