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US Justice Department joins lawsuit over passage of Proposition 50
County authorities probe State Farm’s handling of wildfire claims By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com
By City News Service
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he U.S. Justice Department Thursday joined state Republicans in a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 50, the recently passed measure redrawing California’s congressional district lines to boost Democratic representation in Washington. “California’s redistricting scheme is a brazen power grab that tramples on civil rights and mocks the democratic process,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement on the DOJ’s effort to join the suit. “Governor Newsom’s attempt to entrench one-party rule and silence millions of Californians will not stand.” A hearing is set for Nov. 21 in Los Angeles federal court to discuss the DOJ’s unopposed motion to intervene in the case. Assemblyman David Tangipa, R-Fresno, the California Republican Party, and 18 district voters brought the lawsuit last week, asking a judge to block the new district lines at least temporarily so California’s original map stays in effect for the 2026 midterm elections. The suit, which names Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Secretary of State Shirley Weber as defendants, argues that the new Proposition 50 maps are unconstitutional because they improperly use voters’ race as a factor in drawing districts and asks the court to stop them from taking effect. “Proposition 50 represents a mid-decade redistricting, precisely the kind of legislative interference that the California Constitution was designed to prevent,” the 26-page complaint contends. “It attempts to substitute a legislative map for the one lawfully adopted by the (state redistricting) commission, without any intervening
Attorney General Pamela Bondi. | Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Justice/Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
census or constitutional authorization. It attempts to create a third option way for legislators to interpose themselves on a process in which they otherwise were barred from participating in.” The original plaintiffs are represented by the Dhillon Law Group, founded by Harmeet Dhillon, who is now the assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice under President Donald Trump. Voters on Nov. 4 overwhelmingly approved Proposition 50, which supporters dubbed “The Election Rigging Response Act.” Newsom, who conceived
of what would become Proposition 50 after Texas adopted a mid-decade congressional redistricting plan favorable to Republicans, called its passage “not just a victory tonight for the Democratic Party, it was a victory for the United States of America, for the people of this country and the principles that our Founding Fathers lived and died for.” Proposition 50 established new congressional district maps for the 2026 midterm elections that will also be used for the 2028 and 2030 elections. An analysis by the election news website See Proposition 50 Page 05
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Ballotpedia said it would shift five Republican-held congressional districts toward Democrats. Democrats hold a 43-9 advantage in the state’s House delegation. The measure came in response to an effort in Texas for a mid-decade congressional redistricting that analysts said would give Republicans five additional seats. Other Republican-controlled states such as Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, Nebraska and South Carolina are also considering efforts to approve mid-decade redistricting. Backers of Prop 50 said it “draws fair maps that represent California’s diverse communities and ensure our voices aren’t silenced by Republican gerrymandering in other states.” In a statement on election night, Republican Party of Orange County Chairman Will O’Neill said, “Millions of Californians will go to bed tonight knowing that their voices have been silenced by backroom deals, Gov. Newsom’s thirst for power, and a cynical campaign funded by George Soros, government unions, and national Democrats. “Over $130 million was spent to convince Californians that a campaign to steal voters’ power was worth the $300 million price tag for this special election. “Gavin has kick-started a redistricting effort in other states to counter his avarice. He signed the redistricting legislation before Texas did. And while the blue states fail to find more seats because they already gerrymandered out Republican voices, red states have begun pushing back against this Gavin-mandering.
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he Los Angeles County Counsel’s Office launched an investigation Thursday into how State Farm has handled insurance claims related to the devastating wildfires in January. The Eaton and Palisades fires erupted amid fierce winds, causing the deaths of 31 people and destroying tens of thousands of homes. State Farm is among the largest insurers operating in California and nationally. The county’s investigation focuses on potential violations of the state’s Unfair Competition Law and follows up on an increasing volume of complaints from policyholders regarding delays, underpayments and denials of what officials said are actually legitimate wildfire claims. County Counsel Dawyn R. Harrison has formally notified State Farm that if the company is engaging in any unlawful or unfair business practices, the company must immediately stop such conduct and come into full compliance with state laws and regulations. “Altadena residents have already endured unimaginable loss and they shouldn’t have to fight their own insurance company to recover,” LA County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said in a statement. “The County has heard loud and clear from wildfire survivors that State Farm’s delays are standing in the way of rebuilding.” Barger, who represents Altadena and communities in the Eaton Fire burn area, added, “Fair and timely insurance payments aren’t a privilege; they’re a right. State Farm must act quickly so survivors can rebuild their See State Farm Page 27
homes and their lives.” State Farm spokeswoman Gina Morss-Fischer questioned the goals of the investigation and noted the company’s multibillion-dollar payout thus far to wildfire claimants. “The goals of this investigation are unclear but what is clear is that it will be another distraction from our ongoing work in California to help our customers recover from this tragedy,” Morss-Fischer said in a statement. “State Farm is committed to paying customers what they’re owed. We’re handling over 13,500 claims and have paid almost $5 billion to California customers affected by the January wildfires.” According to the county, “third-party surveys” have reported widespread frustration with State Farm’s handling of insurance claims, compounding their hardship and loss in the wildfires’ aftermath. A survey in October by Embold Research for the nonprofit Department of Angels found that State Farm customers have had far worse experiences than customers of other insurers. State Farm policyholders have reported significantly higher rates of claim denials, lowball claim estimates, poor communication and multiple adjusters assigned to a single customer’s claim. Morss-Fischer noted that “nearly 200 claims professionals are still on the ground, supported by teams nationwide, helping customers recover,” she said. “We’re here every step of the way and working with elected officials to build a more sustainable insurance market in California.” Embold’s October survey pointed to the pressing