Overnight Regulation: Supreme Court rejects GOP redistricting challenge
Source: the hill
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a Republican challenge to redistricting in Virginia, leaving in place a map that could prove more favorable to Democrats.
The court unanimously held that Reps. Rob Wittman and other Republicans from Virginia, including Reps. Randy Forbes and David Brat, lacked standing to pursue their appeal because none of them could show they were injured by the redistricting plan.
The case, Wittman v. Personhuballah, centers on Virginia's 3rd Congressional District, which is now represented by Rep. Bobby Scott (D), the commonwealth's only black congressman.
Two Virginia voters -- Gloria Personhuballah and James Farkas -- challenged the way the district was redrawn in 2012, arguing that the Republican-controlled legislature violated the Voting Rights Act by packing black voters into Scott's district to make surrounding areas better for white candidates.
A lower court agreed and tossed out the Virginia redistricting plan. It elicited and ultimately settled on an alternative, neutral redistricting plan during the remedial phase of litigation.
Read more: http://thehill.com/regulation/overnights/280946-overnight-regulation-gop-lose-supreme-court-voter-map-challenge