GOP staffer claims IRC gerrymandered maps; Dems promise complaint

A Republican legislative attorney claimed today that the state’s redistricting commission gerrymandered its maps to benefit certain Democratic incumbents and harm GOP politicians.

Democratic leadership from both chambers of the Legislature promised to file a complaint that the testimony to the committee represents a violation of the prohibition against state employees being involved in pa[...]

Horne disqualified from investigating IRC

Attorney General Tom Horne will no longer be able to pursue an open meeting law investigation into members of the Independent Redistricting Commission, as a Maricopa County Superior Court judge has ruled the attorney general is saddled with an existing conflict of interest.

Brewer lofts ‘nuclear’ option, setting off redistricting turmoil

Republicans are nearly unanimous in their belief that something must be done about the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. As legislators prepare for a possible special session, however, they are divided on the next step.

Gov. Jan Brewer invoked the so-called nuclear option on Oct. 27 when she sent a letter to the IRC’s five members demanding explanations for handful of alle[...]

… Or go to the ballot in February

Rather than pursue removal of the redistricting commissioners, many senators seem keener on asking voters to revamp the redistricting process – potentially through a proposition on the Feb. 28 presidential preference primary ballot.

Brewer takes first step in removal of redistricting commissioners

Gov. Jan Brewer demanded answers from the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission about a handful of alleged improprieties, the first step in the process for forcibly removing one or more of the commissioners.

Seel suggests mapping firm retaliated for his bills

Rep. Carl Seel suggested that the Independent Redistricting Commission’s mapping consultants may have put him in a less Republican district in retaliation for his legislative record.

Speaking at Monday’s meeting of the Joint Legislative Committee on Redistricting, Seel, R-Phoenix, questioned why Strategic Telemetry – which has ties to Democratic candidates and causes, including Pres[...]

Redistricting committee may not make concrete recommendations to IRC

A joint committee created to craft the Legislature’s recommendations to the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission spent more than four hours on Monday listening to an airing of every grievance conservatives have with the redistricting process.

And in the end, it may not actually make any recommendations at all.

Dems’ prized piece

New 9th Congressional District offers unprecedented opportunity

Chippy meeting on IRC maps brings out critics on both sides

Republican lawmakers got a lot of blowback over their new redistricting committee from legislative Democrats and sympathetic members of the public, but they got what they wanted when a parade of speakers stepped forward to air grievances against the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission.

Mutually assured destruction?

Senate GOP leadership has been quietly approaching members and testing the waters to see how much support there would be for removing Mathis from the IRC.

Cherny on the hot seat

Dems angry at Cherny’s potential candidacy for the new CD9 are actively recruiting a new chairman.

Threatened IRC lawsuit may have bleak prospects

Republicans who are upset with the work of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission are consoling themselves with the thought that they can undo the maps with a lawsuit, but that threat may ring hollow in the end.