Pepper acknowledged that the legislative maps developed by House staff and provided to Reichelderfer were erased from House computers, as were emails between him and Reichelderfer, even though he knew there would be litigation related to redistricting. The plaintiffs claim that the congressional map violates the states Fair District provisions in the Florida Constitution because it was intended to give an advantage to incumbents and pack black voters into Democratic districts to benefit Republicans in adjacent districts. The plaintiffs also allege that Republicans boosted the number of black voters in District 5 to above 50 percent. The seat is held by U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, who was first elected in 1992, and her district has never had a black-voting age population above 50 percent. Weatherford defended Browns district, saying the change was needed to put us in better legal standing, and he denied it was intended to pack blacks into the district. Lawyers for the Legislature argue that the exchange of secret documents between legislative staffers and political consultants doesnt prove intent to break the law. tampabay/news/politics/stateroundup/house-speaker-will-weatherford-testifies-in-court-to-defend-redistricting/2180662
Posted on: Wed, 21 May 2014 03:00:31 +0000
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