MD Judge Throws Out Democratic-Backed Congressional Map

A Maryland Judge, on Friday, Threw-Out the State's New Democratic-backed Congressional Map, Ruling the District Lines overwhelmingly favored the Party, in Violation of the State Constitution, and Ordered Lawmakers to Draw a New Plan.

The Decision was a blow to Democrats, who are already facing an uphill battle to hold their razor-thin Majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, in November's Midterm Elections.

The Map, which passed almost entirely along Party Lines, in Democratic-Controlled Legislature last, December, 2021, gave Democrats Seven Safe Seats while endangering the State's Lone Congress Member, Representative Andy Harris (R-1st District), by Redrawing his District's Borders.

Anne Arundel County Senior Judge, Lynne Battaglia, agreed with Republican arguments that the Map violated the State Constitution's Equal Protection Guarantee, among other Provisions, by diluting Republican Voters' Electoral Power. "The 2021 plan is an outlier and a product of extreme partisan gerrymandering," she wrote in a 94-page Opinion.

She gave the Legislature until Wednesday to draw a New Map. The State's High Court has already moved the Primary Election from, June 28th to July 19th, as part of separate Litigation by Republicans Challenging the Legality of the State's New Legislative Maps.

A Spokesperson for the Office of State Attorney General, Brian Frosh (D), said it was Reviewing the Decision and had Not yet determined whether it would Appeal.

In many States, Lawmakers oversee Redistricting, which offers an Opportunity to Manipulate Maps for Partisan advantage, a practice known as Gerrymandering.

Friday's Decision, is the latest in a series of Rulings, from State Courts challenging Lawmakers' unfettered Authority to draw Partisan Maps, after the U.S. Supreme Court said, in 2019 that Federal Courts could Not Adjudicate such Disputes, only if they are Racially Gerymandered.

Unlike in Maryland, Democrats have mostly been the Beneficiaries in Court Cases this cycle. Judges in: North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, have Blocked Republican efforts to install more Favorable Congressional Maps.










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