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u.s. news Diasabra 26 Maart 2022

Maryland judge rules new congressional map unconstitutional

(AP) — A Maryland judge of the plaintiffs to reject the ers have been fighting for
ruled Friday that the state’s map and “permanently en- free and fair elections for de-
new congressional map is joining its operation, and giv- cades and for the first time in
unconstitutional, the first ing the General Assembly an our state’s shameful history
Democratic-drawn map to be opportunity to develop a new of gerrymandering, we are at
struck down by a court this Congressional Plan that is the precipice of ending it.”
redistricting cycle. constitutional.”
The ruling comes under the
So far courts have intervened Battaglia has a long history unusual circumstances of
to block maps they found in Maryland’s judiciary. She Maryland having a Republi-
to be GOP gerrymanders served as a member of the can governor in a redistrict-
in North Carolina, Ohio state’s highest court from ing year. Gov. Larry Hogan,
and Pennsylvania, infuriat- 2001 to 2016. She served as who has long sought reforms
ing Republicans and leading Maryland’s U.S. attorney to the way the state draws po-
conservatives to push for the from 1993 to 2001. She also litical boundaries, created a
U.S. Supreme Court to limit was chief of staff to former separate commission to draw
the power of state courts to Maryland Sen. Barbara Mi- maps for the state’s congres-
overturn maps drawn by state kulski, a Democrat, from sional seats and state legisla-
legislatures. 1991 to 1993. tive districts in hopes of tak- maps that were written with siderations took over when
ing politicians out of the pro- accountability and transpar- Democrats drew the map.
Judge Lynne Battaglia issued An appeal by the state is cess of drawing districts. ency,” Hogan said in a state- Democrats currently hold
the ruling after a trial last almost certain. Raquel ment. “This is an historic a 7-1 advantage over the
week in which Republican Coombs, a spokeswoman for Hogan submitted the maps milestone in our fight to GOP in the state’s eight U.S.
lawmakers contended that the attorney general, said the to the General Assembly, but clean up the political process House seats. The new map
Maryland’s congressional office is reviewing the deci- the legislature moved for- in our state, and ensure that made the district held by lone
map approved by the Gen- sion. ward with maps approved by the voices of the people we Republican Rep. Andy Harris
eral Assembly in December a separate panel that included are elected to serve are finally more competitive for a Dem-
violates the constitution by In Maryland, where regis- top legislative leadership, in- heard.” ocrat to potentially win.
drawing districts that favor tered Democrats outnumber cluding four Democrats and
Democrats, who control the Republicans 2-1 and Demo- two Republicans. If the case comes before the Sean Trende, an elections
legislature. crats hold a strong majority Maryland Court of Appeals, analyst at RealClearPolitics,
in both chambers of the leg- Hogan vetoed the map ap- the state’s highest court, all testified as a witness for Re-
“The limitation of the un- islature, the GOP has long proved by the legislature in but one of the serving judges publicans at last week’s trial
due extension of power by criticized the map as one of December, saying it made “a have been appointed by Ho- that Democrats “are almost
any branch of government the most gerrymandered in mockery of our democracy.” gan. guaranteed to have seven dis-
must be exercised to ensure the nation. The legislature overrode the tricts and have a great shot at
that the will of the people veto the same day. After the Chief Judge Joseph Getty last winning that eighth district.”
is heard, no matter under “Judge Battaglia’s ruling judge’s ruling, the governor week delayed the state’s pri-
which political placard those confirms what we have all called on lawmakers to ap- mary from June 28 to July 19, The trial involved two law-
governing reside. The 2021 known for years — Maryland prove the map submitted by as courts weigh challenges suits. One was brought by
Congressional Plan is un- is ground zero for gerryman- the commission he support- to the state’s new legislative a group of Republican state
constitutional, and subverts dering, our districts and po- ed. map as well as the congres- lawmakers backed by Fair
that will of those governed,” litical reality reek of it, and sional map. Maps Maryland. The other
Battaglia wrote. there is abundant proof that “I call on the General As- was brought by the national
it is occurring,” said Doug sembly to immediately pass At trial last week, a witness conservative activist group
The judge added that she was Mayer, a spokesman for Fair the independent Citizens for Maryland Republicans Judicial Watch.
entering a judgment in favor Maps Maryland. “Maryland- Redistricting Commission testified that partisan con-

US states seek to ease inflation burden with direct payments

(AP) — With inflation rag- and grocery store — send- Minnesota. Critics, including check will provide just tem- sity of Maine. Maine’s gov-
ing and state coffers flush ing money. many Republican lawmak- porary relief. ernor’s race is one of many
with cash, governors and ers, say those checks won’t go closely watched contests at
lawmakers across the U.S. At least a dozen states have far enough given the pace of In addition to the direct re- the state level this year.
are considering a relative- proposed giving rebate checks inflation and are pushing in- bates, lawmakers and gov-
ly simple solution to help of several hundred dollars stead for permanent tax cuts. ernors across the country The states are moving to-
ease the pain people are directly to taxpayers, among are considering cuts to sales ward sending people money
feeling at the gas pump them California, Kansas and A proposal from Maine Gov. taxes, property tax relief and as consumer inflation has
Janet Mills is among the most reducing or suspending state jumped nearly 8% over the
generous in a state where the gas taxes. past year. That was the sharp-
cost of food and fuel has sky- est spike since 1982.
rocketed in recent months. The proposals come at a
The Democratic governor time when many states actu- Inflation boosted the typi-
wants to send $850 to most ally have too much money cal family’s food expenses
residents as part of the state’s on their hands because of by nearly $590 last year, ac-
budget bill. billions of dollars in federal cording to the Penn Whar-
pandemic aid and ballooning ton Budget Model, a project
The rebate “will help Maine tax revenue. It’s also happen- of the University of Penn-
people grapple with these ing as the war in Ukraine has sylvania’s Wharton Business
increased costs by putting compounded soaring prices School. Overall, the average
money directly back into for fuel and other essentials. family had to spend $3,500
their pockets,” Mills said. more last year to buy the
It’s also no coincidence that same amount of goods and
But Wendell Cressey, a clam- the relief is being floated services as they purchased in
digger in Harpswell, said the during an election year, said previous years.
soaring cost of fuel for people Mark Brewer, a political sci-
in his business means the ence professor at the Univer-