'It's corrupt': Newsom gets pushback on possible special election to redistrict California

'It's corrupt': Newsom gets pushback on possible special election to redistrict California

"A special election would be called. It's likely to be the first week of November. That process will unfold in a way where maps will be made available in a transparent way," said Newsom Thursday at a Cal Fire news conference.

It's part of Newsom's plan to send more Democrats to Congress as President Donald Trump pushes for red states, like Texas, to draw new lines sending more Republicans to Congress.

"We will go to the people of this state in a transparent way and ask them to consider the new circumstances," said Newsom.

The current redistricting process was put in place by voters in 2010 under the Voters First Act, giving that responsibility to the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, an independent group who uses census data to draw the lines. Because of that, if the state does have a special election to re-draw the lines, experts believe it could result in a lawsuit.

"That lawsuit would challenge whether or not the legislature had the authority to place the congressional districts redraw in the middle of the decade before the voters, or whether or not that power is solely granted by the Constitution to the Citizens Redistricting Commission," said Chris Micheli, Adjunct Professor of Law for the McGeorge School of Law.

The special election could also cost the state hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. It's something the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA) says would be a waste of money.

"I don't think this is actually going to happen because of the number of hurdles in terms of cost, in terms of political infighting, and in terms of breaking the norms of the normal process," said Jon Coupal with HJTA.

Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio (R-San Diego) says he'll boycott the process if it's brought to the legislature.

"I will not participate in the drawing of lines for politicians. Politicians should not be choosing the voters. The voters should be choosing the politicians. I plan to boycott the process because it's illegitimate, corrupt," he said.

Newsom's office referred ABC10 to a comment made during his Thursday press conference where he said he's beginning to analyze this, and that the cost of democracy, values and rule of law is "priceless."

ABC10 reached out to Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas for additional information. Speaker Rivas said:

"Donald Trump wants to be king, and Greg Abbott is happy to play his jester. When Trump can’t win, he changes the rules. This move is an attempt to silence voters who reject MAGA extremism — including here in California, where the people have spoken loud and clear in two national elections. In the Assembly, we will continue to review options with the Governor and Senate to protect California’s economy and ensure our government remains fair, transparent, and representative of the people."

Democrat Assemblymember Maggy Krell (D-Sacramento) also provided ABC10 with this statement:

"Texas Republicans are threatening to hand Trump another 2 years of unchecked power, without consulting their voters. In California we are feeling the full weight of that unchecked power—from mass immigration raids, to firing of career civil servants and veterans, to withholding critical funding including from LA wildfire victims. I think it’s right to let California voters decide how we proceed."