A Maryland judge has ruled the state's new congressional map is unconstitutional.
Judge Lynne Battaglia gave state lawmakers until Wednesday to come up with a new congressional map plan.Battaglia, a retired judge from state's highest court who was assigned the case in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, issued the ruling after a trial last week in which Republican lawmakers contended that Maryland's congressional map approved by the General Assembly in December violates the constitution by drawing districts that favor Democrats, who control the legislature.
Battaglia has a long history in Maryland's legal community. She served as a member of the state's highest court from 2001 to 2016. She served as Maryland's U.S. attorney from 1993 to 2001. She also was chief of staff to former Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski, a Democrat, from 1991 to 1993.An appeal by the state is almost certain. Raquel Coombs, a spokeswoman for the attorney general, said the office is reviewing the decision.
In Maryland, where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1 and Democrats hold a strong majority in both chambers of the legislature, the GOP has long criticized the map as one of the most gerrymandered in the nation. Hogan vetoed the map approved by the legislature in December, saying it made “a mockery of our democracy.” The legislature overrode the veto the same day. After the judge's ruling, the governor called on lawmakers to approve the map submitted by the commission he supported.
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