Minority Groups, Republicans Lambast Democrat Redistricting Hearings
House Republicans including Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield), speaking, and Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria), left, were critical of the latest round of hearings on redistricting. Spain called the Democrat hearings “disingenuous.”
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A joint House and Senate redistricting committee held its first hearing yesterday on new legislative maps which will likely be voted on Tuesday.
Republicans, as expected, pitched a fit at times, but House and Senate Democrats found themselves deflecting questions from groups representing typically Democrat-friendly voting blocs like African Americans, Hispanics, Muslims, and Orthodox Jews.
“The witnesses that are appearing before you today have been invited here to offer testimony on maps we haven’t seen, changes or tweaks to the maps that haven’t been publicized,” said Jay Young, Executive Director of advocacy group Common Cause Illinois. “We don’t know if all of the districts will be redrawn to account for the undercounts, particularly with what we heard about in respect to the Latinx community that stemmed from the use of the [American Community Survey].”
The changes are expected due to block-level census data released by the federal government earlier this month.
Republicans criticized the Democrats handling of the latest version of the map, which hasn’t been released for public consumption.
“We’re here on a Thursday, a vote is scheduled next week on Tuesday on a map that we have not seen that is apparently already under development to the benefit of Democratic incumbents,” said Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria). “You’ll forgive me for feeling this process is more than a little bit disingenuous.”
It’s hard not to consider the hearings a sham based on a statement by Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield), who said he saw about 15 Chicago-area House Democrats huddling with staff in the Bilandic building Wednesday. Butler said he observed Democrats discussing their districts with staff, and one member asking if their new district was “square enough.”
I did reach a few House Democrats last night who told me they hadn’t seen a new version of the map and another who said they were not authorized to comment.
House Democrat Redistricting committee Chair Rep. Lisa Hernandez (D-Cicero) denied knowing if the maps were done or who was drawing them.
Spokespeople for House Speaker Chris Welch did not return messages last night.
There are multiple hearings scheduled throughout the weekend.