California Republicans have launched new legal action to block Governor Gavin Newsom’s redistricting ballot measure from appearing in the November election.
On Monday, GOP state senator Tony Strickland and other Republican leaders filed an emergency petition with the California Supreme Court seeking to stop Proposition 50 from going before voters.
Proposition 50 proposes pausing the state’s independent Citizens Redistricting Commission through 2030 and instead implementing a new congressional map. Critics argue the map would shift five traditionally Republican districts into Democratic-leaning districts, effectively giving Democrats an advantage in picking up U.S. House seats statewide.
Senator Strickland described the effort as a fight “to try to preserve democracy in California,” and vowed to challenge the plan in court. He and other Republicans claim Newsom’s measure violates the state constitution, noting that the plan was rushed through the legislature in less than a week, rather than following the constitutionally required 30-day public review period.
They also argue that Democratic politicians and consultants were improperly involved in drawing the map, even though the constitution currently limits that power to the independent redistricting commission.
Mike Columbo, a partner at the Dhillon Law Group, emphasized that the legislature and other officials are exercising powers they do not have, calling the process “already them exercising a power they do not have.”
This latest legal effort comes after the state Supreme Court declined to hear a previous emergency petition last week. The court’s chief justice said the petitioners had “failed to meet their burden of establishing a basis for relief at this time.”
Supporters of Proposition 50 have pushed back on the new petition. A spokesperson for the “Yes on 50” campaign accused Republicans of trying to protect former President Donald Trump’s influence, saying, “Trump’s toadies already got destroyed once in court. Now, they are trying again – to protect Trump’s power grab and prevent the voters from having their say on Prop 50. They will lose.”
President Donald Trump also weighed in, hinting at his own legal action against Newsom’s plan. Speaking from the Oval Office, he said, “I think I’m gonna be filing a lawsuit. Pretty soon. And I think we’re going to be very successful in it.”
As for the next steps, the California Supreme Court could decide as soon as this week whether it will take up the Republicans’ emergency petition, potentially determining whether Proposition 50 remains on the November ballot.
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