The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission found itself in a Facebook fracas for several days this week, as an account bearing the commission's name, but run by a local blogger, turned into a forum for opinions, and ginned up accusations from some that the IRC was using it for political purposes.

Live coverage of the July 8, 2011 Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission meeting.

Placing the “I” word in front of Redistricting Commission doesn’t mean it’s really independent.

Now that the commission is fully constituted, they'll soon begin redrawing the state's legislative and congressional lines. At stake is the state's political landscape for the next ten years. And while most everyone agrees on the gravity of task, disagreements abound on just how "independent" the panel can be.

House Minority Leader Chad Campbell on Wednesday, Feb. 2, selected accountant José Herrera, a Democrat, to serve on the Independent Redistricting Commission. The decision to select Herrera came on the heels of a press conference held by the Arizona Legislative Latino Caucus, whose Democratic Party members called for the appointment of a Latino to the commission.

State legislators have begun the final step of appointing nominees to the Independent Redistricting Commission, which will redraw the boundaries of the state’s legislative and congressional districts. The process kicked off Monday, Jan. 31, as Republican House Speaker Kirk Adams selected Scott Freeman, an attorney from Maricopa County, to serve as a commission member.

A state screening panel holds an emergency meeting Friday to respond to an Arizona Supreme Court ruling on nominations for appointments to the state redistricting commission.