ALBANY, Nueva York/AP — The U.S. Justice Department has decided not to object to the New York Republican plan to add a seat to the state Senate in their contested redistricting plan.
But a lawsuit backed by Democrats challenging the plan is still being considered by New York’s top appeals court.
The decision by the President Barack Obama’s administration removes a potential obstacle from the Senate Republican majority’s decision to add a 63rd seat to election maps.
That plan, signed into law by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, has been criticized by good-government groups. They say it continues the practice of using redistricting to protect a majority’s power by contorting districts so their party’s voters dominate.
Republicans hold a 32-30 majority in the Senate going into the fall elections.
