"A federal judge criticized California's voter-approved congressional map to redraw districts to favor Democrats, calling it a case of "racial gerrymandering" in a scathing opinion.
Judge Kenneth Lee noted his concerns about race being a factor in his dissent as a panel of judges voted 2-1 to uphold the map.
"California sullied its hands with this sordid business when it engaged in racial gerrymandering as part of its mid-decade congressional redistricting plan to add five more Democratic House seats," Lee wrote.
"We know race likely played a predominant role in drawing at least one district because the smoking gun is in the hands of Paul Mitchell, the mapmaker who drew the congressional redistricting map adopted by the California state legislature," he added.
