Group: N.C. request for redistricting rehearing ‘frivolous’

RALEIGH, N.C. — An advocacy group that sued over redistricting strains in North Carolina advised state Supreme Court docket justices Monday that earlier rulings that blocked legislative and congressional district maps as unlawful partisan gerrymanders ought to be left intact.

Widespread Trigger filed a response to Republican Common Meeting leaders’ request earlier this month that the state’s highest court docket rehear redistricting lawsuits.

In December, when a majority of the seven justices had been registered Democrats, the court docket struck down a state Senate map the legislature drew and upheld congressional boundaries drawn by trial judges however opposed by Republicans. The rulings stemmed from the same 4-3 determination in February 2022 that declared GOP legislators violated the state structure by approving strains that disadvantaged Democrats of voting energy considerably equal to their help within the state.

Republican legislators argue no such contingency is discovered within the structure. With the GOP profitable November judicial elections and attaining a majority on the court docket, Republican legislators requested the court docket to rethink these choices.

Hilary Klein, an legal professional for Widespread Trigger, wrote that the rehearing petition is “frivolous.” She referred particularly to Home Speaker Tim Moore’s public assertion that one other take a look at the circumstances was wanted as a result of the “individuals of North Carolina despatched a message election day” to reject the ruling of the “outgoing (judicial) majority.”

The petition “is subsequently motivated by improper objective and grossly missing within the necessities of propriety,” Klein wrote.

Widespread Trigger was one among many plaintiffs within the redistricting lawsuits.

Moore and Senate chief Phil Berger even have individually requested for a rehearing of one other Supreme Court docket determination final month that invalidated a 2018 regulation requiring photograph identification to vote. The GOP leaders contend the right authorized commonplace was not utilized.