Federal authorities has entered the fray in a legal challenge brought forward by California Republicans, aiming to block the California's newly approved electoral boundaries.
This court case, filed in federal court, challenges the map championed by the state's Democratic governor, which was created in reaction against a Republican-led gerrymander in Texas.
"California's redistricting scheme constitutes a brazen power grab that violates voting rights and mocks the electoral system," stated the US attorney general.
The Democratic party have voiced assurance that the redistricting plan will withstand legal scrutiny.
"These opponents lost at the ballot box and soon they will also lose in court," stated a representative for the governor.
Constitutional Challenge
The legal challenge claims that California's map improperly used race as a factor to significantly advantage Latino communities in contravention of the federal constitution.
"Race cannot be used as a substitute to advance political interests, but that is exactly what the California General Assembly did with the redistricting measure," stated a senior official from the DOJ's civil rights unit.
Political Context
The legal battle represents the major counterpunch by the Democratic party in the continuing redistricting war that began in Texas and has extended to multiple states.
Unlike other states, where Republican state legislatures have enacted gerrymanders, California's plan needed public consent, which it obtained with nearly 65% of the vote.
Wider Consequences
Democrats need to gain just a handful of GOP-controlled House seats to gain majority of the chamber in next year's congressional elections.
The party that holds 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 possible additional obstacles.
- Legal counsel for the plaintiffs is being handled by a prominent law firm
- The firm's founder currently holds the position of senior DOJ official
- Nevertheless, this attorney has been removed from this particular case
