Republican legislators in California announced Wednesday that they are sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice and to the U.S. Attorneys representing California, calling for a potential federal investigation into who is behind the proposed new congressional maps in California and how they were constructed.

The California Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected an effort by Republican legislators to delay Democrats from gerrymandering the state's congressional districts. The justices said the legal challenge, filed earlier this week, "failed to meet their burden of establishing a basis for relief at this time under" the California Constitution.

California's Supreme Court rejected a Republican petition to halt legislative action on redistricting maps, potentially leading to a November vote. Re

California's Democratic Legislature is expected to counter Texas' mid-decade redraw of its congressional map with one of its own.

The court said the petitioners “failed to meet their burden of establishing a basis for relief at this time” under the state’s constitution.

California Democrats introduced a plan last week that could slash five Republican-held House seats in the liberal-leaning state while bolstering Democratic incumbents in other battleground districts.

California Democrats proposed a redistricting plan that would conceivably take five congressional seats away from Republicans.

State legislators are scheduled to hold floor votes on Thursday, according to a schedule from Democratic leadership.