California Republicans take Prop 50 lawsuit to Supreme Court

The fight over the controversial California proposition to redraw the state’s Congressional maps continues, as the state’s Republican party is now asking the Supreme Court to step in to stop the maps from going into effect this November.

The group of Republicans, supported by the U.S, Department of Justice, filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court on Tuesday. The Ninth Circuit of Appeals is overseen by Justice Elena Kagan, an Obama appointee, who is being asked to issue an injunction that would temporarily keep the previous Congressional maps in place while the case is still in court.

The lawsuit hinges on the 14th and 15th Amendments, which the plaintiffs claim were violated in the drawing of the new maps. They argue the maps were created by race, favoring Latino voters and elevating the group’s voting power over other ethnic and racial groups.

The new maps will add two Latino-influenced districts; however, the previous maps drawn by the state’s independent redistricting commission already had 16 Latino-majority districts, drawn based on the state’s demographics. 

“California cannot create districts by race, and the state should not be allowed to lock in districts that break federal law,” said California Republican Party Chairwoman Corrin Rankin in a statement.

On Jan. 14, a three-judge panel ruled 2-1 that the case brought forth against the new maps did not prove the maps were drawn with “discriminatory intent.”

Prop 50 was presented to California voters as a way to even out the playing field created when Texas redrew its own Congressional districts, eliminating five seats held by Democrats. By redistricting, California is likely to gain five Democratic seats and give the party a better chance at controlling Congress after this year’s Midterm Election. 

With a 64% majority, California voters overwhelmingly approved of the new maps during a special election last November.

Governor Gavin Newsom and Secretary of State Shirley Weber, both named in the lawsuit, told CALÓ News their previous statements on the merits of the lawsuit remain the same, despite the recent emergency appeal.

In a statement last week, Newsom said “Republicans’ weak attempt to silence voters failed,” and applauded the court for aligning its decision with how California voted in the special election.

“I am pleased the court acknowledged that the will of California’s voters should prevail,” said Weber in a statement last week. “Our democracy is in jeopardy and the fight to maintain our constitutional right to vote must continue.”