New York’s New Districts for Congressional and State Legislative Seats got Tossed.
A State Judge struck down the Maps yesterday, in response to a Lawsuit from Republicans, throwing the State’s Political Process, into a bit of Chaos, just as Candidates face a Deadline next week, to submit Petitions to get on the Ballot, and the Legislature scrambles to complete a Budget that's behind schedule.
The Ruling by Supreme Court Justice Patrick McAllister, found that the Maps were Illegally drawn to favor Democrats, a Rewrite that would likely hand them Three additional Congressional Seats.
Not only that, he said the Legislature never had the Authority to enact the Maps in the first place, since the Maps were supposed to be drawn by an Independent Commission that essentially punted.
“The petitioners were able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the maps was enacted with political bias and thus in violation of the constitutional prohibition against gerrymandering,” McAllister wrote.
The Judge ordered the Legislature to come up with New Maps by April 11, and they must have Bipartisan Support, he said.
If that doesn’t happen, he said he’ll Retain an Outside Expert to draw up a New set of Maps.
That could get pretty hairy, as the Judge acknowledged, Delaying the Primary set for June 28th.
Democrats are hoping that in the end, none of this will matter much. They plan to Appeal, and say the Decision is likely to be Stayed while the Appeal proceeds.
A Victory for Republicans was always more likely at the Lower Court level, because the Suit was filed in Steuben County, a Republican Stronghold.
But former Rep. John Faso, who has helped Organize the Republican effort, says: “They very arrogantly ignored the will of the people and the constitutional prohibitions against gerrymandering and I think they shouldn’t arrogantly assume that the appellate courts are going to agree with them either.”
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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