Facing a deadline imposed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the Legislature’s Two Top Republicans late Friday submitted to the Governor, Tom Wolf (D), a New Statewide Map of Congressional Districts to Replace Boundaries the Justices ruled were Unconstitutional.

If approved, the Map submitted by Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-25th District) and House Speaker Mike Turzai (R- 34th District) would result in significant changes for the Areas surrounding Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The Proposed Map “complies fully” with the Court’s Order, the Pair said in a joint Statement.

But within roughly an hour of its Public Release, Top Democrats in the House and the Senate were urging the Governor to “reject it outright.”

“The Republican leadership in both chambers blocked this process, refused to negotiate, and have now submitted a map directly to your office that we have not even seen,” Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-43rd District) and House Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D-33rd District said in a joint Letter to the Governor released Friday evening. A spokesman for Wolf said Friday that while the Map does not appear to comply with the Letter of the Court’s Order, the Governor would be willing to Review it.

The Wolf Administration has enlisted Moon Duchin, a Professor of Mathematics at Tufts University, to help Evaluate any potential Maps for Fairness. Duchin, speaking Friday before Students at the University of Pennsylvania’s Law School, said she felt her Role was to provide Guidance on how “Neutral” any presented Map is.

Under the proposed Map, the Infamous Seventh District represented by Republican Pat Meehan would no longer look like “Goofy kicking Donald.”

CLICK HERE to view the Old and New Maps.









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