Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The Arizona Capitol Times reports that the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission has hired Washington, D.C.-based Strategic Telemetry as the commission's mapping consultant. Redistricting panel hires D.C.-based, Democratically connected mapping firm:
Much as it did last month when it chose attorneys, the panel split 3-2 on the decision to hire Strategic Telemetry, a firm that has strong ties to high-profile Democrats, including President Barack Obama. Independent Chair Colleen Mathis sided with the two Democratic commissioners. The two Republican commissioners jointly dissented, saying they would have chosen to hire the firm that served the previous commission, National Demographics Corporation.
As Steve Muratore reported at The Arizona Eagletarian: Redistricting — mapping consultant issues, Douglas Johnson from National Demographics Corporation was taking it for granted last Friday that he would get the contract, and did not go all out in presenting a well prepared offer.
Several of the commissioners acknowledged that Strategic Telemetry provided a detailed bid proposal, and that it received high marks for its methodology and attention to detail.
GOP partisans objected earlier this year when the Commission voted to hire Osborne Maledon and Ballard Spahr as its attorney rather than Lisa Hauser, who represented the previous commission. That commission did such a fine job in creating competitive districts – not. Putting a new "team" in place was definitely in order this year.
The secretive partisan group "Fair Trust" and Citizens for Commonsense Redistricting last Friday tried to make an issue out of Strategic Telemetry's work for Democratic campaigns suggesting political bias. That was reflected in yesterday's vote:
The panel’s two Republicans, Scott Freeman and Richard Stertz, joined with Republican observers in questioning the political leanings of Strategic Telemetry, which worked on the 2008 Obama presidential campaign and the 2004 John Kerry presidential campaign. Additionally, the firm is currently working on the effort to recall Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
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Before the vote, Freeman said he had a concerns that the selection of Strategic Telemetry could cause public perception problems, given their political ties, but said he hoped he would be proven wrong.
Like all consulting firms,it is pay-for-hire. It will represent whomever hires them, and its reputation depends upon producing quality work.
The firm’s principal, Ken Strasma, previously told the commission that he is a Democrat, but that his work requires him to deliver an unbiased product and that he intends to do so when drawing Arizona’s political lines.
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Strategic Telemetry’s public input manager, who will attend mapping hearings and focus on all public input issues, is a Republican and former Texan who served in the White House as associate director of political affairs for George W. Bush.”
Steve Muratore reports at The Arizona Eagletarian: Redistricting — mapping consultant chosen:
Yes, the vote was 3-2. Yes, the five commissioners voted the same way on this decision as they did for the legal services contracts.
Remarks made by the two Republican commissioners, Stertz and Freeman, are most noteworthy. Both made it clear that they intend to work with Strategic Telemetry and do not want this vote to be a distraction. In saying that, there can be no doubt they are referring to the public comments that have been made at every AIRC meeting since the vote on the legal services contracts decrying the partisanship of the decision.
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From the pensive looks and thoughtful comments, it was clear that all five commissioners took today's decision very seriously and intend to settle into the work at hand in a professional and diligent, yet collegial manner.
The AIRC is holding a meeting today in Tucson at 1:00 p.m.
Location: Pima Community College – District Office
4905 E. Broadway Blvd.
Building “C” Room #105
Tucson, AZ 85709 (West of Rosemont Blvd.)
On the Agenda http://www.azredistricting.org/docs/Meeting-Info/Agenda-063011.pdf is a presentation by the newly hired mapping consultant Strategic Telemetry. The Commission may also take action on setting up the schedule of public hearings for its work.
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