Judge Throws Out Maryland’s Abusive Democrat Gerrymandered Congressional Map

 

Graphic courtesy of Judicial Watch

A Maryland judge tossed out the state’s abusive Democrat gerrymandered congressional map on Friday.

“The limitation of the undue extension of power by any branch of government must be exercised to ensure that the will of the people is heard, no matter under which political placard those governing reside,” Judge Lynne Battaglia, a senior judge serving on the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, wrote in her opinion, according to Politico. “The 2021 Congressional Plan is unconstitutional, and subverts the will of those governed.”

The abusive congressional map was approved after the Democrat-controlled Maryland state legislature overrode a veto of Republican Governor Larry Hogan.

“The new districts — which were drawn by the Democratic-dominated legislature and passed over the veto of Republican Gov. Larry Hogan — could result in an 8-0 sweep for Democrats in the state in blue-leaning years. Seven districts in the state are solidly Democratic, while the lone Republican-held district in Maryland, the Eastern Shore seat currently occupied by GOP Rep. Andy Harris, was converted from a Republican vote sink into a hypercompetitive district. President Joe Biden carried the new version by less than a percentage point in 2020.” Politico reported. 

Conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch, who filed a lawsuit on behalf of 12 registered Maryland voters who objected to the abusive map, celebrated their big win on Friday.

Judicial Watch announced today that the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County ruled in favor of Judicial Watch’s challenge to Maryland’s congressional redistricting plan. In its ruling the court permanently barred Maryland’s use of its current plan. 

Judicial Watch filed the lawsuit on behalf of 12 registered Maryland voters who object to Maryland’s 2021 congressional redistricting plan on the grounds that it is a partisan gerrymander that diminishes their rights to participate in free, fair elections for the U.S. Congress on an equal basis with other Maryland voters, in violation of the Maryland Constitution (Parrott et al. v Lamone et al. (No. C-02-CV-21-001773)). The trial also included plaintiffs from a separate lawsuit.

After conducting a trial last week in Annapolis, MD, the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County ruled today:

With regard to Article 7 of the Maryland Declaration of Rights … the Plaintiffs, based upon the evidence adduced at trial, proved that the 2021 Plan was drawn with “partisanship as predominant intent, to the exclusion of traditional redistricting criteria” … by the party in power, to suppress the voice of Republican voters. The right for all [to] political participation in Congressional elections … was violated by the 2021 Plan …

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As result, this Court will enter declaratory judgment in favor of the Plaintiffs, declaring the 2021 Plan unconstitutional, and permanently enjoining its operation, and giving the General Assembly an opportunity to develop a new Congressional Plan that is constitutional. A separate declaratory judgment will be entered as of today’s date. 

“This key court victory against abusive partisan gerrymandering by Democrats in Maryland could set a national precedent,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.