By Heather Curtis
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON – A lawsuit over alleged gerrymandering when Maryland’s Congressional districts were re-drawn in 2011 moves forward with admissions from key democrats.
“That was my hope,” O’Malley told attorneys in a deposition as was quoted as saying in the Baltimore Sun. “It was also my intent to create … a district where the people would be more likely to elect a Democrat than a Republican.”
Democratic lawmakers hired NCEC Services Inc to come up with the map according to the Baltimore Sun. An analyst at that company named Eric Hawkins said in a deposition the purpose of redrawing the districts was to protect incumbent Democrats in Congress and to try to carve out another district that would vote for a Democrat.
Everybody believed the redistricting was being done to dilute Republican votes in Districts 1 and 6 according to Michael Kimerly who represents the seven former District 6 residents who filed the lawsuit.
“But at least for purposes of a lawsuit there’s a difference between everybody having that general understanding and actually being able to prove it,” Kimberly told WMAL.
Wednesday night Kimberly filed a motion that said the plaintiffs believe testimony by O’Malley and other Democrats is enough to prove a First Amendment violation occurred. He’s hoping that will prompt the court to rule that the state has to stop enforcing that map for future elections.
The motion also urged the court to make its decision in August so the new district map would not be used for the 2018 election.
The state will file its brief in two weeks, and Kimberly expects it to disagree with his argument. The decision will be up to a three-judge panel in a special district court.
Meanwhile, Gov. Larry Hogan continues to push for the creation of a nonpartisan redistricting commission.
Hogan’s Deputy Communications Director Amelia Chassé said in a statement: “The court system will determine what political or procedural improprieties happened in the past. The governor is focused on moving forward with the nonpartisan redistricting reform he has advocated for since taking office and has proposed for the past two legislative sessions. In light of these troubling revelations, it is past time for all parties to come together and get politicians out of the redistricting process so Marylanders have the free and fair elections they deserve.”
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