Dec. 10—ANDERSON — The Chicago law firm representing the Anderson City Council in a redistricting lawsuit has withdrawn from the case.
Judge Tim Baker with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana approved the withdrawal from the case of Steve Laduzinsky and Devlin Schoop as representatives of the city council.
The motion to withdraw filed by both attorneys noted irreconcilable differences with the council as the reason for their decision.
The Anderson City Council has paid the Henderson Parks a total of $150,000.
Rosemary Khoury, the council’s attorney, will continue to represent the Anderson City Council in the case.
Last week, the city council voted to hire an outside consultant to create new maps for the six council districts.
Common Cause of Indiana, the League of Women Voters of Indiana and the local chapter of the NAACP filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court in 2023, alleging the six single-member council districts violated federal law based on the one person, one vote requirement of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
Three members of the council — Ollie H. Dixon, Greg Graham and Joe Newman — created a map earlier this year that was never presented to the federal court.
Common Cause submitted a map to the city council.
The council voted not to accept that map and instead decided to hire an outside consultant to draw up the district maps as a result of the 2020 federal census.
Earlier, the federal judge granted a partial summary judgement stating the council failed to redraw the district maps.
Khoury said hiring a consultant would ultimately end the litigation after a period of time. Dixon said the council has options and supported the maps drawn by the three councilmen.
Rebecca Crumes, former president of the city council, said last week the census numbers approved by the federal government following the 2020 census were not accurate.
“The federal government used estimated numbers,” she said. “Race is a factor.”
Crumes said the Chicago law firm should be fired by the council.
“The city needs to hire a professional,” she said.
Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.