The State Senate abruptly adjourned its special session Monday, a session called to redraw the state’s congressional map. In June, a federal court concluded for a second time that legislators in 2012 illegally packed black voters into the 3rd District in order to make adjacent districts safer for Republican incumbents. The panel gave lawmakers until Sept. 1 to draw a new map. Republicans had unsuccessfully pushed for an extended deadline, saying they want to wait and see if the U.S. Supreme Court will overrule the panel.On Monday, Senate Democratic Caucus Chairman Sen. A. Donald McEachin said it was clear the General Assembly lacked the political will to redraw congressional boundaries and the Senate should just adjourn. The move sets up the possibility that federal judges could impose a congressional map of their own design, as they’ve done in in other states. Republicans blasted the Democrats’ maneuver as “blatantly hypocritical and deeply irresponsible.” “Democrats have single-handedly shutdown any possibility of a legislative remedy on redistricting and have no one to blame but themselves,” GOP leaders said in a statement.
