| GOP plans for an attack on the maps, dreams of a brighter past.
By Brian Leubitz
As we mentioned earlier, the Redistricting Comission was scheduled to vote on their maps today. Despite some public pressure on the GOP Comissioners, the vote remains unchanged and it passed:
The first voter-approved California Citizens Redistricting Commission finished its No. 1 job this morning and adopted new maps for Congress, state Assembly and Senate and the Board of Equalization.
The boundaries will be in effect for the next decade until the 2020 Census triggers a revision.
Passage was never really in question despite grumbling from a few corners. The Several commissioners expressed frustration with some of the maps but conceded that wholesale perfection was unattainable in a state with so many competing interests. (I confess, I couldn't hear everything that was said. The webstream kept cutting out; perhaps the site was overtaxed.) (Lisa Vorderbrueggen/bay Area News)
But don't think redistricting could be done easily here in California. Already one commissioner is alleging that other commissioners held secret meetings in violation of the rules laid out in Prop 11. The other commissioners are denying the charge, and perhaps this is an instance of trying to provide something for the inevitable GOP lawsuit. But in any case, it looks like the Republicans aren't going to limit themselves to a lawsuit.
"A referendum will be filed with respect to the Senate lines and possibly the congressional lines," said California Republican Party Chairman Tom Del Beccaro. "The California Republican Party will wholeheartedly support those efforts when they come about."
He said the redistricting commission's actions "have been unfair if not unconstitutional."
GOP lawmakers and activists have formed a committee called Fairness & Accountability in Redistricting to launch a petition drive to overturn the state Senate lines, according to Republican political consultant Dave Gilliard. The new district boundaries could give Democrats the two-thirds majority in the Legislature needed to pass taxes.
The Senate Republican Caucus has voted to endorse the referendum drive, according to Senate Minority Leader Bob Dutton of Rancho Cucamonga. (LA Times)
You'll have to forgive me when I let out my cry of shock upon that news. Unfair! Unconstitutional! Just plain outrageous! Of course, other than the trumped up charge of back room deals (because that would be sooooo different than past redistricting plans), the is no real evidence if anything running contrary to the intent of the proposition. On the contrary, on the whole, these commissioners went bode and beyond the call of duty in their efforts to make this a transparent and open process. The meetings were all webcast, and they traveled the state to hear from as many people as possible.
Of coursem if this does go to a referendum, we then toss it to the Supreme Court which hardly represents the will of the people of California. Nonetheless, I find it difficult to believe that the Court would come up with anything much more favorable to Republicans. But, if the GOP wants to attack their own creation, I won't be the one to wipe away Arnold Schwarzenegger's crocodile tears. |
