National Law Firm Joins Maryland Redistricting Battle, Challenging Proposed Constitutional Amendment
A national law firm, BakerHostetler, has joined a lawsuit representing a group of Maryland Republicans seeking to block a proposed amendment to the state constitution concerning congressional redistricting. This firm previously advised on Louisiana's redistricting efforts, which led to the U.S. Supreme Court's 'Louisiana v. Callais' decision, impacting the Voting Rights Act by making it illegal to use race as a determining factor in redrawing congressional district lines. The Maryland lawsuit, filed in Dorchester County, is the second by Republicans challenging the proposed amendment. The amendment, passed earlier this month, aims to set new standards for drawing Maryland's eight congressional districts and would clarify that requirements for districts to be compact and contiguous apply only to state legislative districts, not congressional ones. Republicans argue this change would remove protections in the state's Declaration of Rights and allow for unchecked gerrymandering by the Democratic-controlled le... 
