Florida Senate admits map it drew is unconstitutional

[G_j]

https://fundeducationnow.wordpress.com/2015/07/29/florida-senate-admits-map-it-drew-is-unconstitutional/

BY JEREMY WALLACE AND MARY ELLEN KLAS

Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau

July 28, 2015 | TALLAHASSEE

After spending nearly three years and millions of dollars defending its redistricting map, the Florida Senate gave up the fight Tuesday as it conceded for the first time that the courts were going to find it violated the state constitution.

Lawyers for the League of Women Voters and Common Cause have argued the Republican-controlled Senate violated the so-called Fair Districts provision of the state constitution that prohibits drawing lines to favor a political party or any incumbents.

As a result of Tuesday’s settlement, the Legislature will now be called into its third special session of the year to redraw at least 28 of its 40 districts statewide.

That special session is scheduled from Oct. 19 to Nov. 6, two months after the Legislature holds a special session in August to fix Congressional districts that the Florida Supreme Court ruled earlier this month had violated the state constitution.

“This is remarkable,” said David King, an attorney for the League of Women Voters and Common Cause. “The Florida Senate has admitted that they drew an unconstitutional map and as a consequence of that, they now have agreed to fix the problem.”

..more..

[malaise]

1. The Feds should be investigating this in every state

ReTHUGs are criminals

[RKP5637]

3. Is there ever any real punishment dealt out for this? Jail time and a very sizable fine

would seem appropriate to me. I liken it to trying to sabotage the system/government.

[TacoD]

4. Unfortunately not all state constitutions have such a clause (nt)

[Fred Sanders]

6. There is such clear cut evidence of a national conspiracy of gerrymandering how can it be called a theory anymore? It is fact.

And the ones who hate democracy and voting so much will have to be watched like Hawks again by citizen groups because the fucking national media entrusted by the constitution to guard democracy is purposely asleep at the gate.

Thank the Founders for the Judicial Branch, that has to be guarded also.

[Baitball Blogger]

8. Conspiracies are the norm in Florida.

Our State attorney offices and even the FBI have a hands off approach whenever there's an elected official involved. No one ever gets held accountable, because they assume everything will be fixed with the next election. Which is the stupidest, ignorant assessment of the monster of corruption that we are dealing with.

[RKP5637]

9. And no punishment is dealt out to the old boy's club. They do as they damn well please 'till

caught, and that, is really F'ed up.

[Baitball Blogger]

11. Till caught?

Trust me. The FBI and State Attorneys office has loads of information they could use to "catch" them. There is no political will to do it. Their complicity is mounting evidence of an entitled society.

[RKP5637]

12. Sadly, quite true! n/t

[lark]

13. Pretty much all power officials in FL are Repugs.

The ones that aren't are ignored, especially in No. FL. A friend of mine's husband is a local attorney, she says he has to be Republican or he'd be shut out of the power elite's dealings. So, when he was a young attorney, trying to make his chops in Jacksonville, he re-registered Repug, to get access, but ALWAYS votes Dem. He voted for Obama twice. The Dem party in FL is very weak and very DINO, regrettably.

[Baitball Blogger]

22. You will find corruption rings that cross party lines.

An ex-Democratic Mayor combined with Republican shill men were capable of doing some very permanent damage in my community. That's what makes the hands-off approach of our criminal justice department so self-defeating. When you have rings of friends that cross party lines, it makes each election a see-saw that is trapped in the same mud puddle. It doesn't matter what end you're sitting on, you still end up in the same filthy mess.

And I don't mean to take the GOP off the hook, since they represent the other side of that see-saw.

[RKP5637]

2. This is certainly a step forward. n/t

[voteearlyvoteoften]

5. They will gerrymander again

Bank on it. Wait til last minute then deliver a slightly better map. Wait 3 more years til they are forced to redraw again. Meanwhile super majority in state runs roughshod.

[UncleTomsEvilBrother]

7. Well....

....a way to stop this is by DEMS voting in midterm elections in the state of FL.

[lark]

14. You must live here too?

You have their moves down pat. I was about to post the same thing. Scott would never allow a redrawing that hurt Repugs at all.

[LiberalLovinLug]

15. Exactly what I was thinking

"Yes......we.......will......."fix".......this"

[Gothmog]

10. This redistricting lawsuit will be fun to watch

[mcar]

16. Why do they get the chance to draw another one?

I wish the court had ordered a special commission to draw the maps. These corrupt morons will no doubt break the law again, causing more lawsuits and delays.

[Roland99]

18. Bingo!

[lsewpershad]

17. Republicans cannot be trusted

Florida must therefore continue to be vigilant.

[Enthusiast]

19. You are right, of course.

[Enthusiast]

20. Kicked and recommended to the Max! This is encouraging!

[-none]

21. No state legislature should be allowed to draw redistricting maps.

A non-partisan committee only. And then only square or rectanglish districts. None of this following a street or river for miles, to include pockets and to exclude the 'wrong' people.