Justice Department sues to block California US House map in clash that could tip control of Congress

LOS ANGELES -- The Justice Department connected Thursday sued to artifact new legislature territory boundaries approved by California voters past week, joining a tribunal conflict that could assistance find which enactment wins power of the U.S. House successful 2026.

The ailment filed successful California national tribunal targets the caller legislature representation pushed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom successful effect to a akin Republican-led effort successful Texas backed by President Donald Trump. It sets the signifier for a high-stakes ineligible and governmental combat betwixt the Republican medication and the Democratic governor, who's seen arsenic a apt 2028 statesmanlike contender.

“California’s redistricting strategy is simply a brazen powerfulness drawback that tramples connected civilian rights and mocks the antiauthoritarian process,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said successful an emailed statement. “Governor Newsom’s effort to entrench one-party regularisation and soundlessness millions of Californians volition not stand.”

California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 50, a law amendment changing the legislature boundaries to springiness Democrats a changeable astatine winning 5 seats present held by Republicans successful adjacent year's midterm elections.

The Justice Department is joining a lawsuit challenging the caller map that was brought by the California Republican Party past week. The Trump medication accuses California of radical gerrymandering successful usurpation of the Constitution by utilizing contention arsenic a origin to favour Hispanic voters with the caller map. It asks a justice to prohibit California from utilizing the caller representation successful immoderate aboriginal elections.

“Race cannot beryllium utilized arsenic a proxy to beforehand governmental interests, but that is precisely what the California General Assembly did with Proposition 50 — the caller ballot inaugural that junked California’s pre-existing electoral representation successful favour of a rush-job rejiggering of California’s legislature territory lines,” the suit says.

Prop 50 was Newsom's effect to Trump’s maneuvers successful Texas, wherever Republicans rejiggered districts successful hopes of picking up 5 seats of their ain up of the 2026 midterm elections, erstwhile House power volition beryllium connected the line.

Democrats request to summation conscionable a fistful of seats adjacent twelvemonth to take power of the chamber, which would imperil Trump's docket for the remainder of his word and unfastened the mode for legislature investigations into his administration. Republicans clasp 219 seats, to Democrats’ 214.

The showdown betwixt the nation's 2 astir populous states has dispersed nationally, with Missouri, Ohio and a spray of other states either adopting caller territory lines to summation partisan vantage oregon considering to bash so.

The nationalist implications of California’s ballot measurement were wide successful some the wealth it attracted and the high-profile figures who became involved. Tens of millions of dollars flowed into the race, including a $5 cardinal donation to opponents from the Congressional Leadership Fund, the ace governmental enactment committee tied to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.

Former enactment movie prima and Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger opposed it, portion erstwhile President Barack Obama, a Democrat, appeared successful ads supporting it, calling it a “smart” attack to antagonistic Republican moves aimed astatine safeguarding House control.

The contention provided Newsom with a nationalist platform erstwhile helium has confirmed helium volition see a White House tally successful 2028.

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Richer reported from Chicago.