Tipsheet

SCOTUS Leaves Gerrymandering to the States...Justice Kagan Fumes

The Supreme Court has ruled 5-4 on Thursday that they are leaving the issue of partisan gerrymandering at the state level.

"The court holds that partisan gerrymandering claims present political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts," Chief Justice Roberts wrote.

Part of the issue considered by the justices was whether Maryland state Democrats drew unconstitutional boundaries with sinister goals.

The judges said Democratic state officials unconstitutionally drew the district’s boundaries with a goal of diminishing Republican influence. In a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-to-1, the Maryland mapmakers turned an eight-member House delegation that was split 4-4 in 2000 into one that has seven Democrats and one Republican. (The Baltimore Sun)

A day before the high court's decision, Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said he expected a victory.

In North Carolina, it was the Republicans who were reportedly altering districts in their favor.

In her dissent, Justice Elena Kagan argued that majority was "tragically wrong."