by Lia Russell at The Sacramento Bee
Twelve hours after California voters overwhelmingly passed the Proposition 50 ballot initiative to rewrite the state’s congressional district, the state Republican Party filed a lawsuit challenging the measure in federal court.
Assemblymember David Tangipa, R-Clovis, announced the complaint, in which he’s a plaintiff, at a press conference Wednesday morning at the state GOP headquarters on K Street. The suit, which is being funded by the National Republican Congressional Committee, names Gov. Gavin Newsom and Secretary of State Shirley Weber as defendants and claims Prop. 50 violates the 14th and 15th Amendments.
The Dhillon Law Group, whose founding partner is Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, is representing Tangipa and the state Republican Party, along with 18 plaintiffs that include Los Angeles County GOP chair Roxanne Hoge, former Republican congressional candidates Eric Ching and Peter Hernandez, McFarland Mayor Saul Ayon, and Newsom recall proponent Mike Netter.
The suit charges that in adopting the Prop. 50 map, which is expected to flip five House seats from Republican to Democrat next year, the California Legislature violated the Equal Protection Clause and the 15th Amendment by favoring Hispanic residents, who at 40% make up the largest voting bloc in the state.
“Due to California’s marvelous diversity, of which we are all proud, Hispanics make up the most voters in the state,” plaintiff attorney Michael Columbo said. “There is no majority race in California more than Hispanics. Hispanics have had fantastic success in electing candidates of their choice.”
Under a provision of the Voting Rights Act,…
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