“US Supreme Court weighs in: We’ve all been pronouncing ‘gerrymander’ wrong”
This is fun.
https://twitter.com/steveannear/status/1022894895814590467
Category Archives: redistricting
Quote of the Day: Extreme Gerrymandering Edition
“Perfect. It’s giving the finger to Sandy Levin….I love it.”
—One of the Republican line drawers in Michigan, describing the “finger-like” extensions to the shape of Rep. Levin’s contorted district, inav lawsuit defending the drawing of congressional districts as non-partisan,… Continue reading
Breaking: Federal Court Will Allow Lawsuit Over Citizenship Question on Census to Go Forward
From today’s opinion in State of NY v. US Dep’t of Commerce:
Broadly speaking, in this Opinion, the Court reaches three conclusions with respect to Defendants’ motions. First, the Court categorically rejects Defendants’ efforts to insulate Secretary Ross’s decision to… Continue reading
“Emails suggest Republicans gerrymandered Michigan to weaken ‘Dem garbage’”
The Bridge:
Emails have emerged in a federal lawsuit that suggest Republicans gerrymandered congressional districts in Michigan in 2011 to maintain an advantage over Democrats, despite years of claims the lines are drawn without political bias.
The lawsuit references private… Continue reading
“Commerce Secretary Grew Impatient Over Census Citizenship Question, Emails Reveal”
Hansi Lo Wang for NPR:
A few months after he started leading the Commerce Department, Secretary Wilbur Ross became impatient. As a powerful decider for the U.S. census, he had a keen interest in adding a citizenship question to the… Continue reading
“A Shadow Across Our Democracy”
Charles Fried for the HLR Blog:
There is a clear constitutional warrant. As long ago as 1986, the Court recognized that partisan gerrymanders manifestly offend the Fourteenth Amendment’s constitutional guarantee of equal protection. They are also contrary to the… Continue reading
“Drive Against Gerrymandering Finds New Life in Ballot Initiatives”
Michael Wines reports for the NY Times.
“Do-It-Yourself Legislative Redistricting; A Michigan ballot initiative points the way to reforming gerrymandering, one of the most anti-democratic practices in American politics” (with note from Ron Klain)
NYT editorial.
Nice @nytopinion piece on redistricting commissions, BUT….
They were ruled as constitutional by a 5-4 SCOTUS vote in 2015.
One of the 5 was Justice Kennedy.
Will the law change if Kavanaugh is confirmed?https://t.co/OShiRHNlJ9
— Ronald Klain… Continue reading
“Foes, fans take redistricting fight to Michigan Supreme Court”
“Schuette set to fight redistricting proposal in Michigan Supreme Court”
Michigan: “GOP justices weigh fate of redistricting plan”
Detroit News:
The Michigan Supreme Court’s Republican majority may decide the fate of a proposal that could dismantle political map-making rules that critics argue the GOP has manipulated to keep and grow power in Lansing and Washington, D.C.
The state’s… Continue reading
“The States Are Now the Best Route to Gerrymandering Reform”
Sam Wang, Ben Williams, and Rick Ober in the American Prospect:
With prospects for federal action on gerrymandering fading fast, it’s time to pursue reform through individual states. Such a federalist approach lacks the sweeping breadth of constitutional doctrine.… Continue reading
“Gerrymandering as a Campaign Issue”
NPR: “After the Supreme Court declined to make a decision about whether partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional, the issue is becoming a campaign issue for Democrats around the country.”
“Big bills for Virginia’s redistricting battle”
Daily Press: “Now on its way, for the second time to the U.S. Supreme Court, the cost to taxpayers of the House’s intervention in the case has reached $4,067,098.03, according to Speaker Kirk Cox’s office. (In addition, the attorney… Continue reading