Lawsuit against WI Republican redistricting map

[Riot]

The background: Wisconsin elected Republican legislators used public funds to hire private lawyers for the GOP, to redraw redistricting maps, and cut the Dems and Independents out of the process, which was supposed to, by law, be done in the open public view. Then the GOP had the legislators sign sworn-to-secrecy agreements to lie about hiring the lawyers and doing it. Now they are on trial for it.

The panel - which includes two judges appointed by Republican presidents and one appointed by a Democratic president - has repeatedly criticized Republican lawmakers in written orders for their secretive process for drawing the maps. On Tuesday, they did the same in open court.

"The facts are the facts and what has occurred here is beyond the pale in terms of lack of transparency (and) secrecy," presiding Judge J.P. Stadtmueller. "Appearances are everything and Wisconsin has prided itself one generation after another on openness and fairness in doing the right thing. And to be frank we have seen everything but that in the way this case has proceeded.

"We're going to get to the bottom of the facts so the judges who are called upon to discharge their function can have all the information before them so they can render a fair and just opinion."
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In a surprise move Tuesday, a federal three-judge panel told legislative leaders they should consider drawing new maps taking into account challenges from Democrats and Latinos. Late Tuesday, an attorney for the state told the panel top Republicans were willing to consider making changes but believed a 1954 opinion by the state Supreme Court prevented them from doing so.

Groups of Democrats and Latinos suing the state disagree and say the Legislature still has the ability to make changes.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepo...139829743.html

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