Supreme Court Throws Out WI Legislative Map

The Supreme Court granted a Request from Wisconsin Republicans, on Wednesday, to Throw-Out, a New Legislative Map, approved by the States Governor, Tony Evers (D), that would have added another Majority-Black District to the State Legislature, in a Decision Two of the Court's Liberal Justices called "unprecedented."

The Court's Ruling tosses the Map and backed by the Republican-Majority Wisconsin Supreme Court, which Republican Legislators Challenged, on the Basis it Violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Voting Rights Act, by changing the Districts, of too many Black and Hispanic Voters.

Evers' Map would have likely maintained Republican Majorities, in both Chambers of the State Legislature, and would have created a Seventh Majority-Black District for the State Assembly.

The move from the U.S. Supreme Court, punts the issue back to Wisconsin's Top Court, saying the State Court is “free to take additional evidence if it prefers to reconsider the Governor’s maps rather than choose from among the other submissions.”

Wednesday's Decision from the Supreme Court, came on the so "shadow docket," leaving the Majority Opinion Unsigned, and making it Unclear what Justices supported the move.

"We have held that if race is the predominant factor motivating the placement of voters in or out of a particular district, the State bears the burden of showing that the design of that district withstands strict scrutiny," the Court said of Complying with the Voting Rights Act.

Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan Dissented, though it's Not clear if other Justices also Disagreed with the Decision. In their Dissent, the Justices called the Court's Decision "unprecedented," adding the Argument the Wisconsin Supreme Court Failed to Comply with the Voting Rights Act is "hazy at best."

Liberal Critics have accused Republicans of Drawing Maps aimed at Packing, Predominantly Left-leaning Minority Populations, into just a handful of Districts, in order to make Maps more GOP-friendly and Less competitive.

Evers argued as much about Maps proposed by the Wisconsin's GOP-controlled Legislature, which he said amounted to "gerrymandering 2.0," so he instead Submitted his own Map to the State Supreme Court, which chose it over the Legislature's Proposals.

The Supreme Court voted 5-4 in early February, to halt a Lower Court Ruling that would have Required Alabama to Redraw a Congressional Map to better Represent Black Voters, Due To Racial Imbalance.

Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh, argued in a Concurring Opinion, that it would be Improper for the Court to Intervene, so close, to an Upcoming Election, but that Election was Months away.










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