Judges weigh GOP challenge of congressional map; filing for 2012 races could be extended

By Rick Pearson Clout Street

While a panel of federal judges weighs a Republican challenge to Illinois’ new U.S. House district boundaries, lawyers for the state and the GOP said Friday they will discuss whether to push back the deadline for congressional candidates to file their nominating petitions.

The three-judge panel in U.S. District court heard closing arguments Friday after a two-day trial on the GOP’s lawsuit contending the Democratic-drawn map violates the law because it doesn't protect the rights of Latino voters and contorts districts with the aim of creating areas that are friendly to Democrats and hard or impossible for Republicans to win.

“The only purpose of drawing the district boundaries is to corral Latinos,” said Republican Party attorney Joshua Yount, arguing the map excessively packed Latinos into an ear-muff shaped 4th District linking the Northwest and Southwest sides of Chicago. The district was first approved by the courts 20 years ago and has been held by Democratic Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Chicago since 1993.