Multi-Judge Panel Rules GOP Gerrymandering As Unconstitutional

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Ever since the twice-impeached ex-president who lost the popular vote twice started the Big Lie – the lie says that Donald Trump actually won the 2020 presidential election but it was stolen from him by Democrats, Republicans, Georgia’s secretary of state, election officials, poll workers, Italy, and the long-dead former leader of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez – Republicans have run rampant in redistricting their states to ensure that nothing like what happened in swing states like Georgia, where Biden won the presidential election and two Democrats won senate seats, ever happens again.

One of those attempts, however, was blocked by a Tennessee court on Thursday. A three-judge panel shut down a congressional map submitted by Republicans, blocking it from going into effect in time for the 2022 midterms.

According to an ABC affiliate in Nashville:

‘The 21-page ruling gives lawmakers 15 days to fix the problem or the judges will impose an “interim apportionment map” that will apply only to the 2022 election. Meanwhile, the filing deadline for Senate hopefuls, previously set for Thursday, is being pushed back to May 5.’

The panel determined that the proposed congressional map violated the state’s constitution by numbering counties incorrectly, an issue that must be fixed in just 15 days or the panel will impose an “interim apportionment map” ahead of the 2022 elections. The move would prevent Republicans from shaping the state and their elections in their favor.

‘Democrats have argued that the House map also divides more counties than needed to create districts with roughly equal populations, and that it dilutes the power of minority voters. The map splits 30 counties, the maximum permitted for the state House.’

Although the blocked map will prevent the GOP from determining how local and state elections will be decided, it does not cover the elections for the U.S. House of Representatives, an issue raised by Democrats as being problematic.

‘The lawsuit does not target the higher profile U.S. House map, which has drawn scrutiny for favoring Republicans by carving growing, left-leaning Nashville into three districts that extend far into suburbs and rural areas. A complaint has not yet been filed challenging the legality of that map.’