SHE WON'T GO!
What’s the state of Kentucky democracy?
Who knows!
Stumbo tells the Herald the House will appeal Judge Shepherd’s ruling that his and the Senate’s disenfranchisement maps were unconstitutional:
“We intend to move forward on an appellate basis in some form or fashion even if the Senate chooses not to,” Stumbo said Wednesday.
If the Senate does not agree to pursue an appeal, then the House Democrats may file the lawsuit, he said.
And Stumbo tells the Courier that the House would rather just put an end to this madness, and that they won’t appeal his and Williams’ unconstitutional disenfranchisement maps:
“I think probably most people just want some end, if you will, to this situation and want to know where they are going to run, when they are going to run and who they’re going to run against,” House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said in an interview.
What can you take from this? Well, they still have time, but perhaps what we’re looking at is a November election with the old map while the State Supreme Court rules or clarifies rules over the new map.
So the new map would then be the old map and the old map is actually, if no appeal happens before Friday, the new map.
One of these is total shit.
If all of this conflicting reporting, or seemingly conflicted reporting, isn’t enough for you… check out the competing editorials.
The Courier Journal Editorial Board:
When it comes to drawing new districts, legislators have already proven they’re not up to the task of working for the public good; it’s been all about them. So here’s a suggestion:
They should punt on a new redistricting plan for now. They should drop any thought of appealing the judge’s order, nor should they try to pull a redistricting rabbit out of the hat in the next few days — magicians, they aren’t.
They should take the judge’s advice on holding elections in the districts as they stand now, and then get back to the rest of the business of the session that has been stalled by this depressing failure of leadership.
The Herald Leader Editorial Board:
To appeal or not to appeal was Wednesday’s question of the day in the halls of the state Capitol. Here’s one vote for appeal, but not because we think Judge Phillip Shepherd got it wrong when he enjoined state election officials from implementing the legislative redistricting plan recently passed by the General Assembly.
To the contrary, Shepherd’s ruling appears to be in complete agreement with Kentucky’s current case law on the subject. But as Shepherd noted in his written decision, current case law has had some “unintended consequences.” An appeal of his decision would give the state Supreme Court a chance to address those consequences.
THE DAILY YONDER
