The complaint argued that the voter-approved maps drawn to favor Latinos are unconstitutional.
California Republicans filed a federal lawsuit on the morning of Nov. 5 against Proposition 50, arguing that the state’s new congressional maps, which would benefit Democrats, violate the U.S. Constitution by gerrymandering on a racial basis.
The lawsuit asks the district court to permanently halt Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ballot measure—passed by voters on Nov. 4—from taking effect.
“For us, this one is about the Constitution,” California Republican Party Chair Corrin Rankin said at a news conference held on Nov. 5. “It’s about the rights that our ancestors have fought so hard for in this country.”
Fresno Republican Assemblyman David Tangipa, California’s first Polynesian legislator, joined 18 California voters and the state’s Republican Party in the lawsuit.
“As an elected official here in the state of California, I’m appalled by what has happened,” Tangipa said at the press conference. “As the first Polynesian elected ever to the state Legislature, I understand the diversity and the beauty that this state has.
“And what we’ve seen with Prop. 50, these maps are completely diminishing the voices of other groups to benefit other groups. They have weaponized this entire process and have lied to California voters.”
The lawsuit alleged that Newsom and Democratic leaders who pushed the gerrymandered congressional maps through the legislative process violated the 14th Amendment and 15th Amendment, which guarantee equal protection under the law and the right of voters not to have their votes diminished because of race.
When drawing the Proposition 50 maps, Newsom said the maps would give his party an advantage over Republicans in five districts and allow them to gain more seats in Congress. To do that, the districts were redrawn to give Latino voters a majority in 16 of California’s 52 congressional districts.
Newsom’s office said in response to the lawsuit filed by the California Republican Party and 19 other plaintiffs that it doesn’t have a chance.
“We haven’t reviewed the lawsuit, but if it’s from the California Republican Party and Harmeet Dhillon’s law firm, it’s going to fail. Good luck, losers,” Brandon Richards, a spokesman for Newsom’s office, told The Epoch Times.
The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed racial gerrymandering for a limited reason, which requires that the favored voters who benefit from the change can’t get elected because of the votes of another majority race.
The lawsuit accused Democrats of improperly using race as a factor to favor Hispanic voters “without cause or evidence to justify it.”
