(The Center Square) – Illinois Republicans are claiming another small victory in their lawsuit over the state’s legislative district map.
The lawsuit asks the Illinois Supreme Court to throw out the map, calling it a case of “extreme gerrymandering” and unconstitutional under state law, and appoint a third party to draw a more fair map.
House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, said she was pleased to hear that Attorney General Kwame Raoul has declined to defend the map.
“This is significant,” McCombie said Wednesday during a news conference. “The attorney general, who has taken on similar cases before and whose role is to defend this lawsuit, is unwilling to argue that our complaint should not move forward.”
Now, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel ”Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, has entered the picture.
“And who does he hire to replace the attorney general to take action on this case is nonother than Darth Vader himself, [former Illinois House Speaker Michael] Madigan’s henchman, the Prince of Darkness, Michael Kasper, who has been called the chief weapon of Democrats against redistricting reform in the state of Illinois,” said state Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria.
Kasper has defended challenges against the state’s legislative maps in the past and has been successful in having the lawsuits thrown out.
The Princeton Gerrymandering Project, which assesses legislative maps around the country using several metrics, gave the current Illinois House map a failing “F” grade.
Spain said the state’s highest court has a chance to make history with this decision.
“This is a seminal moment for the Illinois Supreme Court, to be able to correct an egregious wrong that’s been getting worse and worse every time we go through redistricting,” said Spain.
Spain said they plan to file a reply brief with the Illinois Supreme Court on Friday.
