Gavin Newsom’s Redistricting Push Could Hit A Court Roadblock: ‘Complete Violation Of The Constitution’

Governor Gavin Newsom’s rush to seize control of California’s redistricting process just hit a major roadblock — with a petition now before the state Supreme Court accusing him of shredding the California Constitution.

Filed Monday by the Dhillon Law Group, the emergency petition slams Newsom’s push to bypass the state’s independent redistricting commission — a body voters created specifically to prevent partisan gerrymandering — and hand power back to Sacramento politicians.

The Scheme: Rammed Through In 4 Days

Just four days after Newsom and Democrat lawmakers floated a proposed constitutional amendment to let the legislature redraw congressional maps, they introduced legislation to do exactly that. Republican lawmakers and citizen advocates say it’s a blatant violation of California’s own rules.

“The redistricting power was taken away from the Legislature for a reason,” the petition reads. “Now, Newsom and his allies want to snatch it back — with zero transparency and no input from voters.”

The state constitution requires 30 days’ public notice for proposed legislation. Newsom’s plan moved in just four. It also violates the rule limiting redistricting to once per decade — and prohibits partisan meddling.

Petition Slams Ballot Trickery

The petition also targets the structure of the proposal itself — which attempts to package two separate and conflicting items into one vote: a nationwide push for citizen redistricting commissions and a total dismantling of California’s own.

“This illegal scheme violates the single-subject rule,” the suit alleges. “It’s political sleight-of-hand designed to confuse voters and rig the outcome.”

GOP Fights Back: ‘This Is Authoritarianism’

California Republicans aren’t staying quiet.

“This is exactly why we created the Citizens Commission in the first place,” said State Senator Tony Strickland. “To stop power grabs like this. This isn’t democracy — this is authoritarianism.”

Assemblyman Tri Ta, who fled communist Vietnam, called it a betrayal of America’s foundational values: “I escaped a country without free elections. What I saw on the Assembly floor last week was outrageous — a complete violation of the California Constitution.”

$200 Million Special Election?

To make matters worse, Newsom’s scheme could force a $200 million special election — even as Californians face surging costs, rising crime, and homelessness.

“This is about power,” said Mike Columbo of the Dhillon Law Group. “They broke the rules, shut out the public, and are trying to rig the maps. That’s why we’ve gone to the state Supreme Court.”

The petition demands the court take action before September 8.