Associated Press: Attorneys have wrapped up a federal trial to decide whether Republicans discriminated against Democrats when they redrew state Assembly boundaries five years ago
Gerald Hebert, an attorney for a group of voters who sued over the boundaries, told the panel that the boundaries represent the worst example of gerrymandering in modern history and punish Democrats and their supporters by diluting their voting strength.
"Their right to vote is fundamental," Hebert said during closing arguments. "It's our voice in the government. It's the only voice many of us have. It's not right to target people and harm them because of their voting history. What did they do? They had the nerve to participate in the political process and go to the polls."
The voter group filed a lawsuit last summer alleging the Assembly boundaries marginalize Democrats by splitting their supporters across districts and consolidating Republican-leaning voters. Hebert said during closings Friday that the plan reduced the number of swing districts from 19 to 10.