Republican megadonors aim to raise $3 million for New York's redistricting legal fight

February 18, 2022: -Republican megadonors aim to raise $3 million to fund a legal challenge to New York’s new congressional map after the state’s recent redistricting.

A two-page memo, first reviewed by CNBC and sent to financiers by former New York State Republican Chair Ed Cox and former Rep. John Faso, R-N.Y., encourages wealthy donors to help raise the enormous sum for the lawsuit. It was filed in the state Supreme Court in Steuben County nearly two weeks ago.

On Friday, the lead attorney for the lawsuit, Misha Tseytlin, is set to take part in a virtual meeting for donors interested in “learning regarding this effort and want to help defeat the Democrat’s unconstitutional efforts to gerrymander New York Congressional Districts,” according to an invite by CNBC.

The effort comes right after the state legislature approved new district lines to give Democrats a push in the fight for congressional control for the coming decade.

The memo encourages financiers to give to separate redistricting-focused groups, the National Republican Redistricting Trust and the Fair Lines America Foundation, which could assist in the legal challenge.

The Fair Lines America Foundation has been funded by the influential Bradley Foundation and the Donors Trust. Both are dark money organizations that do not disclose their donors publicly. The fundraising memo explains that if donors are interested in providing to these groups, their contributions will remain anonymous.

Litigation challenging the new map in state and federal courts could cost “one and a half to three million dollars,” the fundraising pitch says. Cox said opponents of the district lines are raising “private funds” to finance the legal fight.

“The Democrats in Albany have used taxpayer dollars to violate New York’s Constitution with an extreme partisan gerrymander to cement their power for the next decade. We are raising private funds to support the state Constitution and thwart the Democrat’s power play,” Cox said in an emailed statement to CNBC.

The fundraising effort has kicked into gear after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed off on a recent congressional map that will likely give Democrats a massive advantage in future elections. According to the Associated Press, the state legislature previously approved the redrawn map, which would give Democrats an edge in 22 of 26 districts in the upcoming elections.

The Republican-led lawsuit said that “this Court should invalidate the unconstitutional congressional map” and suggests it is a form of gerrymandering. The practice includes drawing district boundaries for one party’s benefit and has been a common grievance as Democratic and GOP-led states redraw their maps after the 2020 Census.

The two-page memo illustrates the extensive Republican financial effort behind the legal maneuvering, which could have enormous stakes for both parties’ political fortunes.