By Bob Walsh
Proposition 50 is, IMHO,
unconstitutional. The California courts punted the issue for political
considerations. The matter is now before the federal courts in the form
of a three-judge panel of the U. S. District Court for the Central
District of California.
Rob
Bonta, the A.G. of the formerly great state of California, has been
trying to stall the hearing in front of the courts in an effort to run
the clock out. Bonta attempted to have the hearing moved back until
January 20th. He was unsuccessful. The original hearing date down in
L.A. was set for December 3. It is now set to go ahead on December
15th. Both sides were asked to provide a witness and exhibits list by
Nov. 26. Right now the hearing is planned for six hours of testimony
and two hours of arguments.
December
19 is the first day that candidates for congressional office can
actually file for office in California. It helps if you know where the
districts will actually BE when you file.
The
claimed cause of action is the assertion that the new boundaries are
deliberately set up to favor Hispanic voters and to disfavor other
voters. It is perfectly legal to gerrymander for political advantage
but NOT with a racial-ethnic bias.
There is a roughly similar case currently before SCOTUS out of Louisiana.
Clearly
the good guys hope for an injunction to stop implementation of the new
boundaries. It SHOULD BE a sure thing. It isn't.
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