In MD Case, Supreme Court Rules Federal Courts Won't Block Districts For Partisan Gain
WASHINGTON (WJZ) — The Supreme Court narrowly ruled Thursday that partisan gerrymandering should not be decided by federal courts.
The 7th congressional district has been referred to as the "Praying Mantis District", and is considered among the most gerrymandered districts in the country.
The separation between the seventh and the second districts is just a few blocks, and Thursday's Supreme Court ruling makes it harder to redraw the lines of districts like this.
The court's conservative judges carried the 5-4 vote, ruling partisan gerrymandering is not a problem for the federal courts.
Lower courts had found that congressional district maps drawn in Maryland and North Carolina went too far in benefitting one political party over the other.
It's a blow to Republicans in Maryland who hold only one congressional seat in the state.
"The Supreme Court decision today on gerrymandering was really disappointing," said Dana Vickers Shelly, with ACLU of Maryland.
The ACLU of Maryland and Governor Larry Hogan filed separate briefs with the Court in hopes of redrawing congressional maps.
"Every voter should be making the decision about who he, she, or they are being represented by. The representatives should not be selecting the voters," Shelly said.
Hogan said the decision was "terribly disappointing," saying in part:
"It stifles real political debate, contributes to our bitter partisan polarization, and deprives citizens of meaningful choices," Hogan said.
In Justice Elena Kagan's dissent, she wrote the decision was "tragically wrong," adding, "Partisan gerrymanders debased and dishonored our democracy,"
Maryland's partisan districts are evident on a small stretch in Baltimore, where you can start in Elijah Cummings' district and wind up in Dutch Ruppersberger's district all in less than two blocks.
Rep. Cummings urged Congress on Thursday to act instead on redistricting reform.
Many had thought Justice Brett Kavanaugh could be the swing vote. As a Maryland native, he had previously criticized the state's election maps.
Kavanaugh this week sided with fellow conservatives on the court.
