Legislators ask court to shield them from having to testify over maps
Legislators ask court to shield them from having to testify over maps
TALLAHASSEE -- The latest fight over the state’s congressional redistricting map came before a Tallahassee appeals court Tuesday as lawyers for the state argued that legislators and their political consultants should not have to testify about how they made their decisions.
The congressional maps became law last year, but are now under fire from seven residents from Key West to St. Petersburg and from a coalition of voters groups who allege that lawmakers drew the maps “with the intent to favor the Republican Party and incumbents” in violation of the state Constitution.
Last month, Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis ruled that the legislature’s leaders must turn over their emails from political consultants and testify under oath as part of the lawsuit.
Before that could happen, however, lawyers for the House and Senate filed an appeal. On Tuesday, they argued that requiring lawmakers to give hours of depositions about their intent would violate their “legislative privilege” under Florida law and subject them to legal intimidation.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/03/26/3308170/legislators-ask-court-to-shield.html#storylink=cpy
