The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday it has filed a major lawsuit against California Governor Gavin Newsom and Secretary of State Shirley Weber, accusing the state of enacting an unconstitutional, racially gerrymandered congressional map through Proposition 50.
The suit claims California’s new redistricting scheme, approved by voters earlier this year, blatantly violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment by allowing race to dominate the drawing of congressional boundaries.
Proposition 50 stripped California’s independent redistricting commission of its authority and handed power back to the Democrat-controlled legislature — a move critics call a deliberate attempt to cement one-party rule in the nation’s largest state.
“California’s redistricting scheme is a brazen power grab that tramples on civil rights and mocks the democratic process,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Governor Newsom’s attempt to entrench one-party rule and silence millions of Californians will not stand.”
According to the Department of Justice, extensive evidence — including statements from lawmakers and legislative records — shows that the new map was designed with race as the “predominant factor,” particularly targeting Latino demographics to manipulate political outcomes.
“Race cannot be used as a proxy to advance political interests, but that is precisely what the California General Assembly did with Prop 50,” said Jesus A. Osete, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. “Californians were sold an illegal, racially gerrymandered map, but the U.S. Constitution prohibits its use in 2026 and beyond.”
Bill Essayli, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, said the Justice Department is acting swiftly to prevent the unlawful map from skewing upcoming elections.
“The race-based gerrymandered maps passed by the California legislature are unlawful and unconstitutional,” Essayli said. “California is free to draw its own maps, but it cannot do so based on race.”
The Department’s motion to intervene in Tangipa et al. v. Newsom is now pending before the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
The lawsuit marks a stunning rebuke of California’s ruling Democrats by federal prosecutors, who argue the state’s latest power play not only undermines election fairness but also violates the constitutional principle of equal protection.
