US judge steps aside in SC’s US House line case

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A federal judge with ties to Democrats in the last fight over drawing U.S. House district lines a decade ago in South Carolina will not be part of the panel reviewing new district lines.

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel has removed himself from a three-judge panel handling the case.

Gergel signed an order Tuesday saying that people might view his involvement on behalf of former Gov. Jim Hodges in 2002 as a sign of partiality. Gergel said it was important that people have confidence in the fairness of the judicial process.

The GOP-controlled Legislature approved U.S. House lines after the 2000 census that Democratic Gov. Hodges vetoed. Gergel was Hodges’ lead lawyer when the case went to court.

Gergel has been replaced by U.S. District Judge Patrick Duffy.