Florida appeals court sides with DeSantis, reverses ruling on congressional map

[RandySF]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A state appeals court on Friday overturned a ruling that declared Gov. Ron DeSantis’ congressional map unconstitutional, setting the stage for the legal battle to finally head to the conservative-leaning state Supreme Court.

The map pushed by the governor dismantled the North Florida seat of former Rep. Al Lawson, a Black Democrat, and resulted in Republicans gaining four seats that helped the GOP flip the U.S. House during the 2022 midterm elections.

A circuit court judge back in August said the map violated Florida’s constitution and ordered that legislators redraw it.

Initially, both sides wanted the case to be decided by the state’s highest court ahead of the 2024 legislative session that starts in January and asked that the legal challenge be fast-tracked. But instead, in an unusual move, the entire 1st District Court of Appeals took up the appeal, which slowed down the resolution of the legal clash between the GOP-controlled Legislature, DeSantis and voting rights and civil rights groups that sued the state over the maps.



https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/01/florida-court-desantis-congressional-map-00129722

[Blue Owl]

1. Now there's a poop map, and DeSantis is the shartographer

[Hermit-The-Prog]

2. Of course it's been delayed; they learned from their Orange Jesus.