Monday, March 5, 2012

Attorneys for L.A. Councilmembers Bernard Parks & Jan Perry File Letter w L.A. City Attorney Trutanich Questioning Legality of Redistricting Maps (Claims Process Was Predetermined and Based on Race)

Attorneys for Los Angeles City Council members Bernard Parks and Jan Perry sent a letter to City Attorney Carmen Trutanich questioning the legality of the new city redistricting map and whether it was drawn based on racial issues.

"The evidence amply demonstrates that a driving motivation behind the commission's plan was to segregate voters into districts based upon race," wrote (Parks/Perry) attorney Nathan Lowenstein with Goldberg, Lowenstein and Weatherwax of Century City. 

In addition, Lowenstein said the citizens commission failed to follow city requirements that districts be based on equal population, that neighborhoods and communities not be split and that districts be compact. 

Lowenstein said the commission was forced to contort the boundaries of the 14th Council District in order to make certain changes. 

Parks and Perry have complained about the process from the start and believe the districts proposed for them take away traditional areas they have represented. 2013 Mayoral Candidate David "Zuma Dogg" Saltsburg believes the entire process to be an orchestrated RICO effort of an organize mafia.

via - Los Angeles Daily News