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Republicans prepare lawsuit over congressional map

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* There’s a hole in this logic…

Watch for the Democratic-drawn Illinois congressional map — the one that screws Republicans passed by the Illinois Senate Tuesday — to be challenged in federal court by the GOP or a front group representing their interests.

The potential basis for a legal challenge: A second Hispanic district should have been created and not doing so violated civil rights provisions in the Voting Rights Act.

How does this help the Illinois GOP members of Congress, since a second Hispanic district would likely elect a Democrat? It would force the redrawing of district lines — and a court ordered map, the reasoning goes, could not be worse than the partisan, gerrymandered plus Democratic map.

The Republicans will be hard-pressed to find any major Latino groups to support them. Pretty much everybody who is anybody in the Latino community agreed not to push for another Latino district. Here’s why…

Josina Morita, executive coordinator of the United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations, said it’s not possible to draw two districts where Latinos make up about 65 percent of the population.

“The Latino population is so dispersed,” Morita said. But she said they had hoped for a second district with a much higher Latino population than they got.

* The Senate’s sparring over the Latino issue got pretty intense at times…

* Meanwhile, this is as close to a confirmation as we’ll probably get from Senate President John Cullerton…

Cullerton was also asked whether the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee was behind a last-minute change made Monday that placed Johnson in the 13th Congressional District instead of the 15th and U.S. Rep. John Shimkus in the 15th instead of the 13th.

“As far as any individual district, I don’t think I want to address it. I’m sure people will be wanting to file lawsuits and take my words – I’ll tell you this, the D-triple C is very happy with the fact that it’s a very fair map,” Cullerton said.

Yes, they are, but not for its “fairness.”

* More proof that just because this process was more fair and open than it’s ever been, doesn’t mean it actually was fair and open…

Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, said the map is fair. The public had more than a day to look at it, he said, compared to a map drawn 10 years ago by 19 of the state’s 20 incumbent congressmen, which Cullerton said was released and voted on in an hour.

An extremely low bar was set a decade ago.

* Related…

* New map drawn by Democrats hurts Dold: Democratic map makers are apparently betting that Schakowsky can afford to absorb some Republican areas, as she won her seventh term with 66 percent of the vote. The new map is designed to erase the Republican gains in the last election and adjust for Illinois’ loss of one seat following the 2010 census.

* Congressional map sent to Quinn amid GOP protests

* Senate Democrats send congressional map to Quinn

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 9:12 am

Comments

My question is whether Democrats representing Republican, right-leaning constituencies with the new map will change their voting habits in order to represent their districts fairly? Or will they continue to vote as if they never inherited more conservative, right-leaning voters?

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 9:19 am
What a bunch of pathetic hypocrites.

I’m pretty sure the state gop’s central committee doesn’t even include a single black or hispanic. And in fact black and hispanic Republicans don’t even get to vote on who sits on that committee. (Whites without a party title also don’t get to vote in the party, not that it makes a difference.)

The state dems on the other hand do have free and open elections for their party leaders.

Maybe the first lawsuit should be against state gop chair Pat Brady.

Comment by too obvious Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 9:24 am
Quinn could use AVs to draw fair maps… it might be a very interesting way to re-assert his relevance.

As far as the GOP lacking a front group, all they really need is front plaintiffs and it’s not like there aren’t many team players in the RNHA and the like.

Comment by John Bambenek Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 9:35 am
too obvious-

On my immediate first glance, the 3rd SCC member in the ILGOP is Angel Garcia. But I’m sure there is some reason that he’s not really Hispanic and you won’t say it’s simply because he’s a Republican but make up some other preposterous argument.

What’s the Hispanic equivalent of “oreo”?

Comment by John Bambenek Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 9:37 am
I thought the Illinois Republican Party was broke. Down to like one or 2 staff and I heard they had to close their long time Chicago office a few months ago.

So how are they funding this frivolous litigation?

Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 9:39 am
@ too obvious:
I know for a fact that there is minority representation on the GOP state central committee.

RE: the suit… It seems like it’s only focused on the congressional districts. Does that mean the legislative maps won’t be challenged? Does anybody know Quinn’s leanings RE signing the congressional or legislative maps? Since they passed in separate bills it would stand to reason that the different maps could get different post-passage treatment…

Comment by John Galt Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 9:41 am
John
Would you agree there’s more than a touch of hypocrisy when Republicans say the map is bad because it shortchanges Latinos?

Comment by reformer Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 9:49 am
@JB

If Quinn were to AV the map, he’d be undermining the rationale he gave Democrats to vote for him. He very easily could have lost if he hadn’t made the map appeal.

Comment by J Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 9:49 am
Sandoval can’t even do anger well.

Comment by amalia Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 9:50 am
A jig-saw puzzle.

It’s a nightmare, thats supposed to be politicaly
correct. MJM is laughing, the Dems. are happy.

Comment by mokenavince Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 9:53 am
Rich, you’ve said it many times, the R’s should have put a lot more into the fair map amendment.

Comment by Ahoy Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 9:54 am
The GOP isn’t “whining,” they are trying to invoke whatever advantage they can. Just like the Democrats used every advantage at their disposal to draw the maps in the first place.

Folks, that’s not hypocrisy, its politics.

I would expect the ILGOP to use every method and argument to get these maps drawn by the courts.

I also expect them to lose.

Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 9:59 am
This would likely be D.C.-funded litigation or money fronted from the NRCC or RNC to the state party to file lawsuits. I’m not surprised. Both sides are so lawyered up when it comes to election matters that it’s sad and disingenuous. We seemingly can’t have an election without pre-election day lawsuits, election day lawsuits and post-election day lawsuits.

Comment by Team Sleep Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 10:02 am
The other thing to keep in mind - and I’m referencing my recent rant about people hemming and hawing about other states - is that Democrats in states controlled by Republicans will likely do the same thing as the ILGOP and the Illinois Republican Congressional delegation. Maps may be governmental in form but are political in nature. The 2010 GOP election movement will result in many new Republican Congressional seats in areas of the country that were drawn by Democrats in 2001.

Comment by Team Sleep Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 10:04 am
Okay John, looks like I stand corrected. You’re right. Looks like there is one Hispanic person on a committee of 19 running the IL GOP. And zero blacks. In fact I would be shocked to find out there is a single black among the 102 gop county chairmen, or if there has ever been even one at any time in history.

Next question maybe you can answer John. Should we be happy or sad about these stats?

Second question, does this lilly-white gop club in Illinois honestly expect to be taken seriously in any court of law in the universe on this subject?

Comment by too obvious Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 10:05 am
According to a Better Government Assn analysis, U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson has collected over $600,000 ($70,000+/year) in state General Assembly pension payments in addition to his $175,000 annual salary as a Congressman.
He is clearly part of the problem. It’s time for him to step down.

Comment by What's Wrong With This Picture? Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 10:06 am
@Cincinnatus
I’m a lefty Evanston liberal, and agree. Not really bothered by this, they’re trying to use the Voting Rights Act to score political points, and if the argument that there’s no way to draw a 2nd majority-hispanic district is right, they’ll lose as you said.

On a completely unrelated note, my mom in Evanston [way at the southern end, by Howard and dividing line with Chicago] says she was drawn out of Robyn Gabel’s Evanston district and into Harry Osterman’s Chicago district. The proposal map as linked to the left on the state house’s redistricting website shows her as still in Gabel’s district; her Evanston alderwoman told her that that map has since been updated and changed and they are now in Osterman’s district. Is that alderwoman mistaken, or has that remap not been updated to reflect any recent slight dhanges?

Comment by aaronsinger Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 10:07 am
Reformer:

I would say it’s about as absurd as the Democrats calling the maps “fair.” Let’s call all of this for what this remap process is: an ugly highly partisan exercise wherein both parties try to cloak their hackery in whatever way they can. It’s a crap process that needs to be reformed.

But until that happens, this is the system we have. The parties would be foolish to unilaterally disarm if they have the upper hand, and similarly the minority party would be foolish to just roll over without a fight.

So for now it is what it is. I’d just assume skip the whining that the D’s are steamrolling everybody, as well as skip the shock that the R’s would actually protest it.

Everybody has their kabuki theatre roles to play.

Comment by John Galt Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 10:10 am
=== Everybody has their kabuki theatre roles to play ===

but do we have to play them here?

Comment by bored now Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 10:17 am
Jan will have her share of problems, but will likely still get a health majority in the new district. I think she loses 5% of her totals due to new GOP votes in her district plus another 5% at the 2012 election due to many Jewish voters (this district has quite a few) being upset with her unflagging support for Pres. Obama’s positions on Israel. So 66% minus 10% still gives her 56%. If Dold or someone else mounts a campaign that is self-financed anything is possible, but it will be a tough road.

Comment by Niles Township Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 10:22 am
too obvious,

What you are implying is that the Republicans are racist because they do not have a quota amount of favored groups. Perhaps the more egalitarian nature of a conservative, who believes people should not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character trumps a quota system.

Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 10:22 am
Please tell me there won’t be public funds for this lawsuit. The funds that the GA appropriated to the GOP caucuses was for drawing maps, not GOP lawyer full-employment act.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 10:43 am
anon raises a good point. the 3 new suburban districts which are supposed to be layups for democrats went 49,49 and 46 percent for bush in 2004. I realize that with obama they’ll probably be a bit bluer, but still that’s not as overwhelmingly bad. I posted yesterday the dailykos breakdown which was really good about how well kirk,mccain and brady did in the districts.

as for the latino community, in the census they are 12 percent of the illinois population and rising, but get 5.5 percent of the congressional delegation, the black community is 15 percent of the population and gets 16.1 percent of the delegation. I am not a lawyer well versed on the law but those numbers do not match up.

Comment by Shore Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 10:55 am
===the 3 new suburban districts which are supposed to be layups for democrats went 49,49 and 46 percent for bush in 2004.===

Don’t disagree, but the trend since then is not the GOP’s friend in those districts.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 10:57 am
@NilesTownship, “If Dold or someone else mounts a campaign that is self-financed anything is possible, but it will be a tough road. ”
I’d be pretty surprised if Dold runs in the 9th, I see no reason for him to stick with the 10th, it may have gotten slightly more Dem, but still would be a much better bet to run for a Rep. than the 9th,, which will still be heavily Dem.

Comment by aaronsinger Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 11:16 am
Whoops, I meant I see no reason for Dold NOT to stick him the 10th.

That’s what I get for using a double negative, I suppose.

Comment by aaronsinger Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 11:18 am
===the one that screws Republicans passed by the Illinois Senate Tuesday===

Did Lynn Sweet really write that? “Screws?” Really?

I mean yes, it does screw the GOP, but isn’t the Sun-Times even pretending to be a family-friendly newspaper anymore? Doesn’t anyone over there have a thesaurus?

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 11:23 am
=== An extremely low bar was set a decade ago. ===

Nevertheless, that map was supported by Republicans.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 12:11 pm
Cincinnatus, who said anything about a “quota system?”

The IL gop doesn’t even let blacks and hispanics vote for their leaders (whites either). No quota needed.

Comment by too obvious Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 12:21 pm
===I mean yes, it does screw the GOP, but isn’t the Sun-Times even pretending to be a family-friendly newspaper anymore?

Because lots of young kids read about redistricting and Lynn Sweet’s stuff.

Comment by ArchPundit Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 1:08 pm
Joe Walsh is now a man without a district. I would expect Dold to run in the old 10th even though he no longer lives there rather than face Shackowsky. Roskam will run in the new 6th, and Hultgren in the 14th, which replaces the area into which Walsh moved (McHenry). None of the new 8th overlaps the old one so he won’t run there and won’t run in the 16th for the same reason. He is up against a Republican primary opponent no matter where he turns. However, there is a spanking new and vacant state rep district right where he lives. Does he want to go to Springfield?

Comment by McHenry Mike Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 2:15 pm
the point is they are bad but not automatic death bad. Alexi’s campaign taught us anything is possible if the republican is somewhat competent and Democrats expect to waltz in.

Comment by shore Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 2:42 pm
McHenry Mike, you are wrong: Schaumburg and environs were in the old 8th. They are just the blue areas of the old 8th. Joe Walsh lost in this area in 2010. So even though it overlaps the old 8th, I agree, Joe won’t run there. Great idea to send him to Springfield where he’d be just as loathed and ineffective as his neighbor Sen. Dan Duffy. But easily elected. His other alternative? Run for President…

Comment by ela observer Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 2:55 pm
@ Anon. 9:19 am - you mean as fairly as Republicans with left-leaning constituencies represent their districts?

Comment by DuPage Democrat Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 3:36 pm
The map is tough, but fair. To the victors go the spoils.

Comment by Justica O ! Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 4:27 pm
Dem percentages for hispanic districts (including legislative): 55%

GOP percentages: 57%

GOP support for issues of concern to the hispanic communuty: 0%

Comment by lifelong dem Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 5:52 pm
Um, too obvious? Have a quick read:

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/politics/illinois-gop-chair-republican-gabriela-wyatt-pat-brady-hispanics-201012

On another note, Sen. Sandoval’s outburst was a little embarrassing to watch. I’m fairly sure the Democratic party does not have the moral authority to claim outrage on any map-related issue, but political theater is political theater I guess.

Comment by Liandro Wednesday, Jun 1, 11 @ 8:49 pm
Just to follow-up:

Does anybody know of any post-vote plans for the legislative (as opposed to the congressional) maps? Is Quinn inclined to sign them into law and/or will any suits be brought to challenge them by 3rd parties? Lots of talk RE: the congressional map but I haven’t heard a peep one way or another for the state legislature maps since they were passed…

Comment by John Galt Thursday, Jun 2, 11 @ 1:56 am