California: 2 new developments in drama over political redistricting

◼ The secretary of state said there are enough signatures to send a Republican-led referendum effort to overturn state Senate maps onto the next stage -- the verification of those signatures. If at least 504,760 of them are found to be valid, the matter will be put to voters in November. - Jean Merl/LA Times

The signatures were collected by Republican activists, aided by donations totaling $2.5 million. As of late afternoon Wednesday, nearly 700,000 signatures had been reported to the secretary of state, with some counties yet to turn in their numbers.

Also Wednesday, a separate group of Republicans, including former Rep. George Radanovich, filed suit in federal court, alleging that the commission’s congressional district maps violate the U.S. Constitution and the federal Voting Rights Act.

The case, filed in the Central District of California, “provides irrefutable evidence” that the commission “intentionally ignored federal law” in drawing the new districts, Radanovich said in a statement announcing the suit.