Senate Republicans Continue Shamelessly Politicized Approach to Redistricting

For Immediate Release:

Contact: Susan Lerner

April 6, 2011

212-691-6421

Senate Republicans Continue Shamelessly Politicized Approach to Redistricting

Legal challenge to ban on prison-based gerrymandering continues attempt to deny demographic reality, says Common Cause/NY

Common Cause/New York issued the following statement regarding the lawsuit filed by nine Senate Republicans and others attacking New York State’s ban on prison-based gerrymandering.

“Senate Republicans have yet again shown their utter contempt for a fair, equitable and independent redistricting process by filing a lawsuit which seeks to continue the abhorrent practice of counting incarcerated persons where they are imprisoned for the purposes of drawing political boundary lines. This practice, now banned by New York and two other states, deliberately diluted the votes of people who do not live in proximity to prisons. This lawsuit is yet another instance of blatant political maneuvering that smacks of the same self-interest as the Senate’s cynical passage of a redistricting constitutional amendment resolution two weeks ago. Political and legal maneuvering cannot overcome the stark demographic realities that must be faced in drawing fair and equitable political boundaries this cycle.

We have no doubt that Attorney General Schneiderman, who has great familiarity with this issue, will vigorously defend this important advance in civil rights and redistricting reform. Common Cause/New York stands ready to assist in defending the law any way appropriate.”