harrisburg

In a recent court filing, Lt. Gov. Mike Stack urged Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court to proceed with a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state’s 2011 redistricting plan.

“This lawsuit provides an opportunity for the courts to lift the lid on the 2011 redistricting process and expose the motivations behind it,” he said. “Pennsylvania voters have the right to choose their representatives free from partisan gerrymandering. The state constitution provides protections and I think the court will agree.”

The League of Women Voters and constituents in several of the most gerrymandered congressional districts filed the suit in June, but legislative Republican leaders have asked the court to delay consideration in lieu of a likely U.S. Supreme Court decision on Whitford v. Gill, a federal lawsuit filed in Wisconsin.

In a reply filed with the court, Stack’s lawyers told the court the federal case has no bearing on the state suit, which is citing violation of a state constitution “that has consistently extended greater protections than the federal constitution.”

Stack, who was a Senator representing Philadelphia in 2011, said Democrats were cut out of the redistricting process while GOP leaders contorted the districts to retain partisan advantage.

“This lawsuit should expose the naked partisanship the Republican leadership displayed in 2011, and lead to much needed reforms in the redistricting process,” Stack said. “Unfortunately, majority leadership is currently holding reform bills in committee, refusing even to allow public hearings so we can remove self-service from future redistricting efforts.”