Supervisors Appear Ready to Spurn U.S. Redistricting Demand

Despite the threat of a federal lawsuit, Los Angeles County officials appear ready to spurn a Justice Department request that they commit to redrawing supervisorial district lines to correct alleged discrimination against Latino voters.

In a move that could hasten a legal showdown with the Justice Department, the county’s top lawyer has drafted a letter that will inform the federal government that Los Angeles supervisors are not yet ready to abandon the present boundaries.

William Bradford Reynolds, the head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, had warned the county that the current district lines deprive Latinos of the opportunity to elect a Latino to the Board of Supervisors. Reynolds threatened to proceed with a lawsuit under the Voting Rights Act against the county unless it commits to changing those boundaries.

Friday Deadline

But with a Friday deadline for a response edging closer, Board Chairman Deane Dana said Tuesday that the county intends to ask for more time before giving the federal government an answer.

Reading a draft letter prepared by County Counsel DeWitt Clinton and given to Dana for his approval, Dana said that it tells Reynolds bluntly that Los Angeles is unable to meet his demands.

“As you can see, the Board of Supervisors cannot make the commitment you request at this time,” Dana said, reading from the draft. “However, it’s prepared to make a decision and a timetable at the earliest possible date. . . . “

Dana refused to release the letter but referred to other portions in the draft indicating that it could take as long as 90 days for the supervisors to get the kind of demographic information they need to make a decision. The county has retained the Rose Institute of Claremont to collect the data to present for consideration. It will take at least four votes of the supervisors to realign district boundaries.

“That’s just the first order of business,” Dana told The Times, adding that the board must determine whether it is feasible to form a district that contains “an effective Hispanic vote.” If the draft letter is adopted and sent to Washington, it is unclear whether the Justice Department will follow through with its threat to “proceed directly to contested litigation” in the next few weeks.

Joe Krovisky, a spokesman for the Justice Department, said Tuesday that the final decision will rest with Reynolds and his lawyers in the voting rights section. “It’s up in the air right now,” Krovisky said. “We just have to wait for the county’s response.”

Some Latino activists said Tuesday that the supervisors are stalling and may be deliberately inviting a lawsuit in an effort to drag out the proceedings and avoid having to redistrict until the 1990 census is completed.

“I think their policy is to stonewall as long as they can,” said Alan Clayton, state civil rights representative for the California League of United Latin American Citizens. “I think they could commit to redistrict right now. Their arguments don’t hold any water.”

The board on Tuesday did reject one proposal promoted by Supervisor Kenneth Hahn as a way to satisfy the Justice Department. Hahn suggested expanding the five-member board to seven supervisors representing seven districts. At least one of the new districts could contain a majority of Latino voters, he said.

“If you don’t put this item on the (November) ballot, some whiz kid lawyer in Washington is going to carve up the Board of Supervisors,” Hahn said.

Turned Down in Past

But in rejecting the plan--which has been offered and turned down in the past--board members Pete Schabarum and Mike Antonovich took the opportunity to denounce the Justice Department’s efforts.

“It is the ultimate racism,” Schabarum said of the proposal to create a district that would enhance the political chances of Latinos.

“I’m also disturbed that you have to create a district based on ethnic or religious groups. I think that’s un-American,” Antonovich said.

“What you’re advocating is a Lebanon with (ethnic) groups fighting other ethnic groups,” he added.