Wisconsin Republicans Try To Intervene In Redistricting Case

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature wants to intervene in a second federal lawsuit brought by advocacy groups that seeks to have a court set a timeline and be prepared to draw new legislative maps.

Republicans are also attempting to intervene in a second federal lawsuit brought by Democrats. They have not taken steps yet to intervene in a third lawsuit brought by conservatives that seeks to have the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which is controlled by conservatives, take control of map drawing.

The three lawsuits filed to date all come before the GOP-controlled Legislature has produced a map or taken any votes. The Legislature is charged with the task of redrawing political boundary lines for members of the state Assembly and Senate, as well as Congress, every 10 years.

All three lawsuits say it's unlikely the Legislature and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers will agree on new maps, so the courts should be prepared to draw them instead.

Republican leaders of the Wisconsin Legislature circulated a ballot on Tuesday seeking approval from a GOP-controlled organizational committee to intervene in the lawsuit brought by Black Leaders Organizing for Communities, Voces de la Frontera, the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin and three voters.

The move is largely pro-forma, given Republican control of the committee. It already approved intervention in the other redistricting lawsuit along a party line vote.

The GOP request to intervene in the first lawsuit brought by Democrats, along with their request to dismiss the case as "wildly premature," is pending in federal court.

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