GOP officials sue Florida: Laws against gerrymandering are ‘thought policing’ our ‘partisan thoughts

[DonViejo]

GOP officials sue Florida: Laws against gerrymandering are ‘thought policing’ our ‘partisan thoughts’

Two Republican officials have filed a lawsuit against the state of Florida claiming that their First Amendment right to “partisan thought” was being violated by laws designed to prevent gerrymandering.

Pasco County Republican Party Chair Randy and Maggard Walton County Chair Tim Norris filed suit in the Pensacola division of the Northern District of Florida, just weeks before a special legislative session is set to redraw congressional districts in the state, Politico reported.

In a ruling last month, the Florida Supreme Court said that eight or more congressional districts violated a 2010 “Fair Districts” amendment to the state constitution. The voter-approved amendment requires that lawmakers draw districts without favoring political parties or incumbents.

Maggard and Norris assert in their lawsuit that the state infringed on lawmakers’ First Amendment right to free speech after Circuit Judge Terry Lewis struck down 2010 redistricting in a scathing ruling.

According to Lewis, Republican operatives wrote scripts for people who attended public hearings and used other tactics to influence the redistricting process in a way that would benefit the Republican Party.

more
http://www.rawstory.com/2015/08/gop-officials-sue-florida-laws-against-gerrymandering-are-thought-policing-our-partisan-thoughts/

[samsingh]

1. just like laws against stealing stop me from having criminal thoughts

[world wide wally]

2. Why can't Republicants be this creative when it comes to solving actual problems?