You really can't blame the City Council for taking 60 days to respond to the redistricting lawsuit, and you really can't blame their lawyer for seeking to have it dismissed. But basing their response on dicta in the lawsuit is a pretty lame strategy.
The GFNA reporter, of course, fails to tell the readers of The Courier-Journal that the suit explicitly states that the filing is based on unequal representation among the districts according to the 2000 Census, the relevant reference point. It's going to be hard to get around that FACT since it is the opening sentence of that part of the pleading.
According to the newspaper report, Mr. Gahan, council president, still fails to understand the importance of the Constitution of the United States. That casts serious doubt in my mind about whether Gahan is speaking as a representative of his colleagues or as a representative of the people.
In brief, folks, the suit is and always has been based on population. Dicta in the pleadings goes on to discuss registered voters as additional evidence of the inequalities in the districts.
Funny thing is, everyone knows that, but Mr. Hershberg conveniently overlooks what's clearly in black and white. Interesting, too, is the fact that nowhere in the story is there any discussion of a response on the merits. That's because there is no defense for the council having failed in its statutory and Constitutional duty.
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And the clock keeps running--
Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick- Toc------
KT, check your statutes. The council is forbidden from redistricting within one year of a city election. But the federal district court can certainly act to remedy the inequality. Got any submissions for the judge to consider?
And how anybody can project how the districts will be reapportioned is beyond me. Some districts will shrink and some will grow, but except for surmises, no one could predict where the lines will be drawn.
And don't be coy, KT. Who do you know who is crossing his or her fingers to be reapportioned to a new council district?
What does GFNA mean?
Gang of Four News Agency, B. Hershberg, prop.
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