Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The Democratic Caucus leadership in the Arizona Legislature released this press release late Tuesday:
STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – As the Republicans wrapped up a one-day chaotic special session to impeach citizen Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) Chairwoman Colleen Mathis, legislative Democratic leaders were dismayed by what they decried as the worst power grab possible by partisan, incumbent politicians.
House Minority Leader Chad Campbell, D-Phoenix (District 14) said:
"The Governor and Legislature have sunk to a new low with this special session. The blatant bullying, intimidation and partisanship they have inflicted on the citizen members of the Independent Redistricting Commission is abhorrent. They should be ashamed of themselves. When I see politicians behaving like this I understand why so many voters want to throw elected officials out of office. They deserve it. The people are demanding that elected officials come together to create jobs and help our schools and the partisan, incumbent politicians only care about protecting themselves. It's disgusting."
Senate Minority Leader David Schapira, D-Tempe (District 17) said:
“There was no basis for the removal of Chairwoman Mathis except pure partisan politics. There have been absolutely no findings of fact, and no conclusions of law. In the past, when the Legislature impeached a governor, there were full proceedings and guarantees of due process. Now, we have a witch hunt coordinated by a Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Republican Congressional delegation and Republican legislators with a predetermined outcome. It’s a disgrace.”
Democrats said they plan to send the attached letter (text below and attached) to the Independent Redistricting Commission to give feedback on the draft maps and redistricting process. They emphasized that a letter – versus a taxpayer-funded special session intended to bully the IRC members into changing their draft maps – is the proper way to influence the independent redistricting process created by voters in a 2000 ballot measure.
In Addition, Arizona Demcoratic Party Chair Andrei Cherny issued this press release late Tuesday:
Statement on Republican abuse of power
in redistricting impeachment
Andrei Cherny, Arizona Democratic Party chairman, gave this statement in response to the Republican supermajority's redistricting impeachment vote:
"Today, Arizona's Republican politicians showed they are willing to violate the Constitution and the rule of law in order to perpetuate their own power. This baseless, unfair vote to impeach a volunteer citizen commissioner was the culmination of nearly a year of bullying and interference. Every honest person in the state agrees that this is not about ‘substantial neglect of duty’ or ‘gross misconduct in office.’ It is about protecting the careers of Republican congressmen at the expense of good government and fair elections. This is a historic abuse of power without parallel in modern American history.
"Republican politicians know the only way they can stay in power in a closely divided state is to break the law and drag the reputation of an honorable citizen through the mud. Today, they did so. But what they're not counting on is this: The stench is something they will never be able to shake. It will trail them into next year's elections where every Arizonan will know what they did to silence the voices of Arizona's growing ranks of independents. We will do everything in our power to hold them accountable and remind Arizonans whose side GOP lawmakers are on — their own."