California Republicans sue to block Democratic redistricting plan

Republican lawmakers in California have filed suit seeking to block action on Governor Gavin Newsom's redistricting plan, opens new tab, which aims to create five new Democratic U.S. congressional seats in his state to counter a similar move in Texas favoring Republicans.

The Republicans argue in their emergency petition to the California Supreme Court that the state constitution bars consideration of the redistricting plan until September 18 because new legislation requires a 30-day review period before lawmakers may act on it.

The four Republicans who filed the suit on Monday asked the court to block Democratic lawmakers from moving forward with the legislation until September 18, absent a three-fourths vote the petition says would otherwise be required of each chamber to proceed sooner.

The petition asks the state Supreme Court to rule on the merits of the lawsuit by Wednesday or to stay the legislative process in Sacramento while the case remains under judicial review.