The U.S. Supreme Court has decided not to hear a legal challenge against the new district boundaries in San Diego County, effectively upholding the changes made during the 2021 redistricting process. This decision marks the end of a legal battle initiated by the Chaldean Coalition, which argued that the new boundaries unfairly divided their community.

The county’s Independent Redistricting Commission, responsible for drawing the new maps, is now seeking reimbursement of at least $634,000 in legal fees from the Chaldean Coalition. These costs were initially covered by taxpayers. The commission approved the new boundaries in late 2021, which included keeping Rancho San Diego in the more urban District 4 and moving El Cajon into the more rural District 2. Some members of the Chaldean community opposed these changes, identifying more with the rural East County.

In March 2022, the Chaldean Coalition filed a lawsuit claiming the redistricting amounted to an illegal division of their community. However, a San Diego Superior Court judge ruled against them in 2023, and the state Court of Appeal upheld the maps. The state Supreme Court also declined to rehear the case. The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision not to review the case effectively ends the coalition’s legal options.

David Bame, Chair of the Redistricting Commission, expressed satisfaction with the Supreme Court’s decision, noting that the independent commission’s work had been validated at every judicial level. Despite the legal victory, Bame highlighted the financial impact of the legal challenges on the county and called for the Chaldean Coalition to voluntarily cover the legal expenses.

The Chaldean Coalition and its attorney have not responded to requests for comment. County spokesperson Tammy Glenn indicated that the county does not plan to pursue further action against the coalition.

Original reporting: Voice of San Diego — read the source article.