Posted on 12/03/2015 3:01:55 AM PST by Ray76
In a 5-2 opinion, the Florida Supreme Court Wednesday approved a map for the 27 congressional districts submitted not by the Florida Legislature, but by the Florida League of Women Voters and other members of a liberal coalition and approved by Circuit Judge Terry Lewis in October.
See the high court's decison here.
The resulting map approved Wednesday is basically the work of Democratic operatives.
Justice Ricky Polston, one of the dissenters, criticized the decision because Judge Lewis relied on a map drawn by a redistricting consultant with ties to Democrats and was designed to intentionally pack Republicans into districts. That decision, said Polston, violates the standards voters adopted to rid the process of partisan influence.
(Excerpt) Read more at sunshinestatenews.com ...
In a ruling that could alter the landscape of politics in Central Florida and across the state, the Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday sided with voter-rights groups challenging the Legislature’s attempts to redraw 27 congressional districts.
Justices adopted the districts sought by the League of Women Voters and other groups who sued lawmakers, in a decision that could have a profound effect on elections in 2016 and beyond.
The reconfigured map gives Democrats an opportunity to pick up two seats, moves Jacksonville Democrat Rep. Corrine Brown’s district out of Central Florida and pushes Winter Garden Republican Rep. Daniel Webster into a Democratic-leaning seat. Republicans currently hold a 17-10 advantage in Florida’s congressional delegation, despite being outnumbered by registered Democrats in the state.
But Brown has vowed to challenge the new maps in federal court because her new district, which runs from Tallahassee to Jacksonville, reduces the black voting-age population from 50 percent to 45 percent. She contends that is a violation of the Voting Rights Act.
“Beyond a doubt, today’s ruling and the proposed congressional map is a direct attack on minority voters and a clear example of voter retrogression and disenfranchisement,” Brown stated.
So Democrat will fight Democrat over the voting map that Democrats got through Democrat judges.
Maybe the Republicans should just watch from the sidelines.
Bttt
A partisan redistricting map approved by Florida’s liberal Supreme Court won go into effect any time soon... because some Democrats don’t find it generous to them enough.
Its going to go to federal court.
This is the same Florida Supreme Court that the US Supreme Court slapped down in Bush v. Gore.
Yup.The Five Supremes decided to insert themselves into a partisan controversy.
They don’t come looking good out of it.
When these damn courts come out with these idiot decisions, they MUST BE IGNORED! These are Criminal Courts. There decisions deserve civil disobedience and even stronger actions. Allow this precedent and it spreads all over the nation. Courts are like that.
“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” - Sun Tzu
(Judge Terry...a damned Democrat)
Fits my “never trust a guy with a mustache” rule.
The Florida Court is still pretty solidly Left.
Their.
This is why there is no such thing as non-partisan redistricting. The only question is whether it will move back and forth between elected majorities or the permanent government class which is always attached to the same more government party.
Don’t League of Women Votes make a play at being non-partisan? Here they are engaged in overt partisan activist activity.
So, what un-PC thing was Florida's Black community involved in of late?
I know I’m not supposed to stereotype, but that dude look gay.
Somehow, Terry fathered a child....of sorts.
I don’t know Florida law, but does the state supreme court have the authority to impose a district map that the legislature has not passed? I can understand that they may have the authority to reject a legislative map if it doesn’t pass muster constitutionally, but creating (or accepting from a non-legislative source) one?
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