Tangipa sues Newsom over Prop 50 for ‘racial gerrymandering’

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Assemblymember David Tangipa is suing Governor Newsom for “racial gerrymandering” over the new Prop 50 map.

According to his lawyer, Mark Meuser, the state used race to draw the lines, which he says was not backed by “a valid reason.”

The controversial prop officially passed on Wednesday morning, turning five of the state’s red districts blue.

The intent was to level the democratic party’s playing field in the national arena after Texas redrew lines to gain republican seats.

However, the new map also splits up communities. Clovis is now split into three districts. Fresno into four – and the majority of voters in several counties, including Fresno, Madera, and Mariposa, oppose the change.

“We’re going to exhaust all options to make sure that the people of California are represented properly,” Tangipa said. “They lied to you, they gaslit you, and there is a toxic relationship with the governor of California, and we’re going to make sure that we hold them accountable.”

How does he plan to do that? By suing the governor.

“The State of California did racial gerrymanders contrary to your 14th and 15th Amendment rights,” Meuser said. “The state of California drew lines, 16 congressional districts where race was the predominant factor, and the legislature did not do the necessary investigation to determine if race was a valid reason to draw the lines that they did.”

He adds that because the state legislature failed to properly test to see whether there was past discrimination that needed to be fixed, they will be arguing that the Prop 50 maps should not go into effect.