Republicans in Wisconsin just hatched a plan to lock in another decade of right-wing gerrymandering in their state – even if they lose the elections this fall.
In a filing by the former GOP Assembly speaker, conservatives are proposing that all lawsuits over congressional and legislative districts go first to the state Supreme Court and its 4-3 right-wing majority – bypassing all lower or federal courts that could rule against them.
Worse, the proposed rule would let the court’s conservatives simply “select a proposed map” – even one drawn by Republican Party strategists to be as extreme as possible – and enact it into law, completely bypassing the Democratic governor’s signature or veto.
A move like this could effectively guarantee another ten years of right-wing gerrymandering in Wisconsin, even if Republicans lose their majority in the state Assembly or Senate. We have to speak out NOW to ensure that this scheme fails.
Why are they making this move now? Because Wisconsin Republicans lost TWO major cases in federal courts after they unilaterally redrew the state’s districts in 2011.
First, they were found guilty of racially gerrymandering communities of color to limit their political clout. Then, their maps were thrown out a second time because of blatant partisan gerrymandering – until Brett Kavanaugh and the U.S. Supreme Court gave those ugly tactics their seal of approval.
Rigging the judicial process now could let Republicans bypass ALL outside limits on their gerrymandering handiwork – letting their right-wing majority on the state supreme court rubber-stamp whatever rigged maps GOP strategists come up with.
