New York's majority Democrat-appointed high court throws out Dem-drawn congressional map

The New York Court of Appeals on Wednesday voted 4-3 to toss out the state's new congressional map, ruling that it is an unconstitutional attempt to elect more Democrats. 

The decision from the majority-Democrat-appointed court is a major blow to partisan redistricting efforts in the state.

"The maps out of New York had emerged as a bright spot for Democrats, who sought to more aggressively push their political advantage in the state," The Hill reported.

Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in February approved the map that would have created 20 Democratic-leaning and just four Republican-leaning seats. Two seats were considered competitive, but they still leaned left.

Chief Judge Janet DiFiore wrote for the majority that the new map is "substantively unconstitutional as drawn with impermissible partisan purpose." The judge also rejected the argument that the new map should remain because the 2022 election cycle has already begun.

"In other words, the State respondents urge that the 2022 congressional and senate elections be conducted using the unconstitutional maps, deferring any remedy for a future election," DiFiore, an appointee of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), wrote.

"We reject this invitation to subject the People of this state to an election conducted pursuant to an unconstitutional reapportionment," she added, according to the Hill.

New York's highest court also criticized Democrats for not following voters who supported an independent redistricting commission in 2014.

"Through the 2014 amendments, the People of this state adopted substantial redistricting reforms aimed at ensuring that the starting point for redistricting legislation would be district lines proffered by a bipartisan commission following significant public participation, thereby ensuring each political party and all interested persons a voice in the composition of those lines," the court wrote.