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  "description": "The deposition did not result in much new information as Mitchell's attorney, Kimon Manolius, invoked legislative privilege to decline answering questions about the creation of the maps:",
  "path": "/architect-of-redistricting-maps-deposed/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-01-04T14:55:24.000Z",
  "site": "https://ielaw.news",
  "tags": [
    "transcript",
    "political consulting agreement"
  ],
  "textContent": "A transcript of the deposition of Paul Mitchell, the Sacramento consultant credited with creating the Congressional district maps approved in Proposition 50, was published Jan. 2. The deposition was taken during the legal challenge filed by Republicans who argue the new maps illegally prioritized Hispanic voters.\n\nThe deposition did not result in much new information as Mitchell's attorney, Kimon Manolius, invoked legislative privilege to decline answering questions about the creation of the maps:\n\nQ: So is it fair to say that you drew the Prop 50 maps?\n\nManolius: Objection. Calls for information that's privileged under the legislative privilege. I instruct you not to answer.\n\nJulie Hamill for the United States: And in asserting that legislative privilege, I need to understand the circumstances under which you're asserting it. So were you under contract with the California Legislature to draw the Proposition 50 maps?\n\nManolius: Objection, vague as to time.\n\nHamill: Ever, at any time.\n\nMitchell: No.\n\nHamill: Were you under contract with any particular legislator to draw the Proposition 50 maps?\n\nManolius: Objection. Vague as to \"under contract.\"\n\n*\n\nMitchell eventually said that he was not paid by anyone in the legislature to draw the maps.\n\n*\n\nHamill: Did anyone in the Legislature ask you to draw the Proposition 50 maps?\n\nManolius: Objection. Calls for information that's protected under the legislative privilege. Don't answer.\n\nHamill: Can you please explain to me on what grounds Mr. Mitchell is invoking this privilege? He is not a member of the Legislature, so I am very confused as to how this applies to his work.\n\nManolius: I've read the cases, so no, I am not going to explain it here or we've made our objection.\n\nHamill: There's – we are entitled to a factual explanation of how this privilege would even remotely apply to this work. We don't have any ·understanding that Mr. Mitchell was working for the Legislature, is a legislator or would be in any way entitled to invoke this privilege.\n\nManolius: We disagree with you. He is – his, his work went to the Legislature, and so in that regard the providers of that work and of any comments to him are – their comments are protected under the legislative privilege to the Legislature.\n\n*\n\nA political consulting agreement attached in the lawsuit says that Mitchell's company would be paid $325,000 for their work, with the funds coming from the House Majority Pack, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and (Hakeem) Jeffries for Congress\n\n*\n\nJulie Hamill for the United States: I just want to be clear that you are refusing to answer any questions regarding how or why you drew the Proposition 50 maps on the basis of legislative privilege?\n\nManolius: I'm objecting to that and I'll affirm it for you, yes, that is our position.\n\n*\n\nMitchell eventually said he drew the maps after talking with the chief of staff for Assembly Speaker Rivas on July 2.\n\n*\n\nManolius also objected when directly asked about a message regarding race.\n\nHamill: Moving onto the last sentence in that paragraph, \"The commission may want to consider the optimal allocation of Latino (population) in L.A. County so as to create one additional very high Latino (population)-majority or plurality district in this area while maintaining these four Latino-(population) majority districts.\" Do you see that?\n\nMitchell: Yes.\n\nHamill: And that's exactly what you drew up in Prop 50; isn't it?\n\nManolius: Objection. Legislative privilege. I instruct you not to answer, privilege. Sorry.\n\n*\n\nCalifornia Deputy Attorney General Clinton Woods: Did you agree with the partisan aims of Prop 50?\n\nMitchell: Yes\n\nManolius: Objection. Vague as to the term \"partisan aims,\" but I think he understood the question so --\n\nMitchell: I agreed to do it only because of what Texas did. Normally, I wouldn't agree to partisan redistricting, but in this case, because of the circumstances, I did agree to it.",
  "title": "Architect of redistricting maps deposed",
  "updatedAt": "2026-01-04T14:55:24.703Z"
}