Toomey Criticizes Pa. Supreme Court For Redistricting Ruling
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- U.S. Senator Pat Toomey is critical of Pennsylvania's State Supreme Court for inserting itself in the redistricting squabble, appointing itself, in his words, "a super legislature."
Senator Toomey says the Pennsylvania Supreme Court was all too willing to "cast aside the rule of law."
"If anyone is supposed to uphold the law and the constitution, it's our court system, our legal system, it is our Supreme Court Justices," he told KYW Newsradio.
ALSO READ: Breaking Down Pennsylvania's New Congressional Map In Delaware County
Pennsylvania's Supreme Court Justices have redrawn the map of the Commonwealth's congressional districts, over the objection of Republicans, which could pave the way for Democrats to pick up several new House seats in November.:
"And they've decided to take on a political role that they were not elected to," he said.
Toomey says the Constitution is clear, it's the legislature's purview, not the courts, to draw up legislative maps.
"What the Supreme Court has done, they've decided that they'll go through the political exercise, instead of the people who were hired by Pennsylvanians to do that," he said.
At the very least, Toomey says the state Supreme Court should have had the redistricting map take effect for the next election, rather than the current one.
Toomey agrees with President Trump: send the matter directly to the US Supreme Court.