Rex Heinke Speaks with Daily Journal for Podcast on L.A. City Council District Case
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Rex Heinke, co-head of the Supreme Court and appellate practice at Akin Gump, spoke with Daily Journal for its Weekly Appellate Report podcast titled “The Drawn Out Battle over LA’s City Council Maps.” Heinke represents the petitioners to the Supreme Court in Lee v. City of Los Angeles, a case that argues that Los Angeles City Council District 10 was racially gerrymandered.
Heinke said there were two main problems with the way the district lines were drawn. First, he said, it bisects L.A.’s Koreatown, instead of keeping it together in one district. Second, he said, “We believe, we allege that the predominant reason it was drawn [this] way [was] racially motivated,” which he said would be a violation of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.
Despite a ruling of summary judgment at the district court level, which was upheld at the 9th Circuit, Heinke said he believes there is “a triable issue of fact” for bringing the case to the Supreme Court.
To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here.
Akin Gump was honored last year by Los Angeles’ Korean American Coalition for its work on the case. (Click here to learn more.)