“As early as Friday, the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission is expected to release a proposed map of legislative districts to be used for the next ten years. This comes just days after the commission chair rushed through a proposed congressional map, over the objection of other commissioners who had no opportunity to evaluate it. If the legislative map contains all of the Constitutional flaws of the congressional map, we must consider remedies quickly. Arizona deserves better than this clearly partisan mapping by the commission chair and the two Democratic appointees.

This commission has already failed in three key missions. It is anything but independent. It is producing dangerously partisan maps that blatantly disenfranchise Republicans and weave through the state, searching for any Democrat advantage. It is incompetent, running weeks behind schedule and working with a mapping firm that has faulty data and more questions than answers. And it is secretive, facing an Attorney General investigation over open meeting law violations and limiting public comment.

The Governor had it right yesterday when she called the congressional map “gerrymandering at its worst”. This gang of three on the commission is desperate to create districts that give Democrats their “dream maps”.

Arizonans need to speak out against this outrage, before it is too late. The IRC will be holding hearings open to the public throughout October. If their streaming video works, you can watch the hearings at www.azredistricting.org

I ask the citizens of the state to get involved. Don’t let them tear apart our communities! Look at the maps that come out for legislative races. Then, speak out.”