CRP Statement Commending Today's California Supreme Court Decision to Defend the Initiative Process

SACRAMENTO – California Republican Party Chairman Tom Del Beccaro today issued the following statement in regards to the California Supreme Court decision to protect the initiative process:
 
"Keeping our voters engaged is good for the process and affirming the fundamental rights of everyday citizens to defend public initiatives is good for democracy. We commend the state Supreme Court on its ruling and celebrate the successful defense of our unique opportunity to affect change in the public forum."

Source: CA GOP

CRP Statement on State Supreme Court Decision to Reject Redistricting Lawsuits

SACRAMENTO – California Republican Party Chairman Tom Del Beccaro issued the following statement today in response to the decision by the California State Supreme Court to reject the legal challenges to the state's new Senate and Congressional maps:

 

"We remain committed to the efforts that will ensure the integrity of the line drawing process for the upcoming election and all elections going forward. In the absence of a written opinion, we can only speculate as to why they made this decision, but we are resolute in gathering the signatures necessary so that voters can weigh in on this matter, as contemplated by Props 11 and 20."

Source: CA GOP

New Congressional Districts Challenged in Supreme Court

SACRAMENTO – Former Congressman George Radanovich, along with four other individuals, today filed a Petition for a Writ of Mandamus with the California Supreme Court alleging that the California Citizens Redistricting Commission violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14 Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the Voting Rights Act (VRA) and various provisions of the California Constitution due to the manner in which the Commission drew Congressional redistricting lines.  The petition asks the Supreme Court to appoint a Special Master to draw new lines for those Congressional districts alleged to be in violation.

"California voters approved two initiatives designed to finally remove politics and backroom deals from redistricting. Unfortunately, the Citizens Redistricting Commission failed miserably in that respect by producing congressional districts so politically driven that they violate our California Constitution, the U.S. Constitution, and the Voting Rights Act," said Radanovich.

The petition focuses on three Congressional districts in L.A. County where the parties claim the Commission intentionally diluted the number of African American voters in each of the districts to protect the three congressional incumbents. The Commission had the obligation under the VRA to construct one or two of these Congressional Districts as African American majority-minority districts; they failed to do this and in so doing the Commission violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and the VRA, according to the lawsuit.

Calfornia Republican Party Vice Chairman Steve Baric is the lead attorney for the group who filed the writ, although the CRP is not officially involved in the lawsuit.

Source: CA GOP

Governor Brown Swears In His Nominee, Goodwin Liu, To The Supreme Court of California

SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. swore in Goodwin Liu to the Supreme Court of California today at the State Capitol.

The Governor was joined by Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye and leadership from the judicial, legislative and executive branches for this event.

A video of the ceremony can be found here.