Arizona Democratic Party: Keep Arizona’s Redistricting Independent!

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Message from the Arizona Democratic Party (useful links):

Keep Arizona's Redistricting Independent!

In 2000, Arizonans overwhelmingly voted to take the power away from politicians who had been gerrymandering our state to advance the interests of political parties. By passing Prop. 106, voters created an Independent Redistricting Commission with two Republicans, two Democrats, and one independent.  In March, we launched the Drawing a New Arizona Project to serve as a watchdog for this important process and to protect its independence.

When people hear about redistricting, their eyes may glaze over or they think it's inside baseball. They're wrong. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is more important to the future of our state. Arizona is a moderate, mainstream state with extremists in charge in the Legislature. Because of a lack of fair and competitive districts during the redistricting process 10 years ago, extremists like Senate President Russell Pearce are elected by a few thousand partisan primary voters, and they never face a competitive general election where moderate views prevail.

This year, Arizona has the chance to change that — but an angry set of partisans whose stranglehold on our state is now being threatened is determined to stop that.

Republicans and Tea Partiers have been organizing protests at redistricting commission meetings — protests like those seen during the 2000 Florida recount and at 2009's health care town halls.  More significantly, GOP House Speaker Andy Tobin and Republican State Chair Tom Morrissey have been pressuring Gov. Brewer to call a legislative special session to remove the independent chair of the Independent Redistricting Commission so they can replace her with someone who will bend to their will. This kind of power play is grossly inappropriate and goes against the will of the voters who passed Prop. 106.

The Constitution allows for the removal of a member only for "substantial neglect of duty, gross misconduct in office, or inability to discharge the duties of office." Removal is not a political tool to bully the commission or compromise the independence of this important process. This is a brazen threat to use raw political power in ways that make what Tom Delay did in Texas pale in comparison.

These Republicans are used to exercising total control of Arizona politics, and now they are resorting to intimidation tactics simply because they disagree with certain votes by the commission. Yet the commission has thus far played it down the middle — for instance, choosing Gov. Brewer's former counsel and Attorney General Goddard's former solicitor general to be the commission's co-counsel.

Let me be clear: I don't know whether Democrats will ultimately be happy with the lines this commission produces or not. That's not the point — and it's not the commission's job to please one party or another. That's why, when we launched our Drawing a New Arizona Project, we vowed to "protect the independence of the commission from political influence and lawsuits."

That's what we all need you to do now. Calls are flooding Gov. Brewer's office asking her to take this extraordinary, unconstitutional partisan action to remove the independent chair and push the commission toward more partisan goals. We need you to help protect the independence of the commission and make your voice heard – whether you are a Democrat, independent or Republican who puts the rule of law above partisan politics. Here's what you can do:

1. Call Gov. Brewer at 602-542-4331 or click here to email her and and say that mainstream Arizonans won't let a partisan power grab interfere with the Independent Redistricting Commission.
2. Write a letter to the editor of your local media outlet. Click here to get started.
3. Attend a redistricting meeting and make your voice heard during the public comment portion of the agenda. Click here to find out when future IRC meetings will be held.

This isn't about Democrats or Republicans. Its about a better, saner Arizona –  and one where our politicians abide by the rule of law even when it's not convenient to holding on to partisan power.

Thanks,

Andrei Cherny
Chair, Arizona Democratic Party