Three of the organizations involved in sending the letter are public interest litigation groups. The leaders from some of the other organizations are available to testify against racial gerrymandering at legislative hearings. 

The letter and legal memorandum are available on the Center for Equal Opportunity's website at www.ceousa.org, said CEO president Linda Chavez. They are being mailed to the states' governors, lieutenant governors, attorneys general, and Democratic and Republican state chairmen, as well as key legislators. 

The letter and legal memorandum highlight the legal difficulties the states suffered in the 1990s, after the last round of redistricting. Each of the states had challenges brought against their statehouse or congressional districts that resulted in millions of taxpayer dollars being spent to defend illegal, race-based districts. In the letter, the leaders say they are closely monitoring the redistricting process in each state. They add that they are hopeful the lessons of the past have been learned by these legislatures and that litigation won't be necessary this time. 

Signatories of the letter include: 

Susan Au Allen of the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce; 
Phyllis Berry Myers of the Center for New Black Leadership; 
Edward Blum of the American Civil Rights Institute; 
Clint Bolick of the Institute for Justice; 
Linda Chavez of the Center for Equal Opportunity; 
Lynn Hogue of the Southeastern Legal Foundation; 
Terry Pell of the Center for Individual Rights; 
Kimberly Schuld of the Independent Women's Forum; 
and Abigail Thernstrom of the Manhattan Institute. 

 The Center for Equal Opportunity is a nonprofit research and educational organization based in Washington, D.C. It focuses on civil rights issues nationwide.