Dec. 9, 2025 8 AM PT
To the editor: Contributing author Erwin Chemerinsky’s latest op-ed ought to be required studying for all who assist our constitutional democracy (“The Supreme Court’s 3 terrible reasons for allowing Texas’ racially rigged map,” Dec. 5).
There are such a lot of issues flawed with the Supreme Court docket’s blocking of the decrease courtroom’s reasoned opinion that dominated the Texas redistricting map unconstitutional. As Chemerinsky factors out, the three causes given by the Supreme Court docket in its unsigned opinion are blatant sophistry and lead to successfully making it unimaginable for anybody to problem a legislature’s motion in redistricting anytime upfront of a midterm congressional election.
What’s extra, this choice comes from the courtroom’s “shadow docket,” that means it’s rendered with out briefing or oral argument — however nonetheless offers a inexperienced gentle to the challenged redistricting map for this upcoming election.
The rationale {that a} map drawn for purely partisan political functions is likely to be constitutionally permissible is gorgeous. In 2019, in Rucho vs. Common Cause, Chief Justice John Roberts (in upholding a redistricting map) wrote: “Extreme partisanship in districting results in outcomes that fairly appear unjust. However the truth that such gerrymandering is ‘incompatible with democratic rules’ doesn’t imply that the answer lies with the federal judiciary.” However that is the place we’re.
James Stiven, Cardiff
This author is a retired U.S. Justice of the Peace decide.
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To the editor: Chemerinsky is outraged that Texas is allowed to redraw its congressional maps, that are designed to elect 5 extra Republicans to the Home of Representatives. Would it not be correct to ban Texas from doing this after California has already discovered authorized avenues to do one thing related? I’m unsure how all states might be compelled to attract districts which might be affordable and truthful, however Chemerinsky appears to lament the gerrymandering follow in Texas with out mentioning complaints when it occurs in California.
David Waldowski, Laguna Woods
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To the editor: Though Chemerinsky precisely describes the Supreme Court docket’s said causes for the choice, the precise rationale was in all probability way more cynical.
First, Texas racially rigged its election district maps to favor Trump within the midterms. Second, California rigged its personal maps in response, however did it higher by placing it to statewide vote. Lastly, the Texas stunt bought challenged in courtroom on strong constitutional grounds and regarded prefer it would possibly lose, in order that the entire thing would possibly backfire in opposition to our man President Trump. And, nicely, we will’t have that, can we?
Ronald Ellsworth, La Mesa
