Redistricting -- Wednesday night's Horizon

Day before yesterday (November 2nd), KAET Channel 8's Horizon had two segments on this week's constitutional crisis.

Former US Attorney Paul Charlton, who represents AIRC CHAIR Colleen Mathis, answered Ted Simons' questions about why the effort made this week by Jan Brewer and the Arizona Senate -- to invalidate the voter mandate (Prop 106 in 2000) calling for an INDEPENDENT commission to carry out the decennial redistricting -- was illegal and unconstitutional.

Next, Senate Minority Leader David Schapira wiped Senate Majority Whip Steve Pierce all over the table in a head to head discussion of the situation. Pierce also had been senate co-chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Interfering with Independent Redistricting. Should he have been able to speak knowledgeably about the entire situation?  Pierce could not go beyond reciting the GOP mantra on the AIRC.

Schapira defined the discussion, rightfully so, since even Simons seemed less prepared than he usual for such discussions. Pierce responded to Simons question of what Mathis had done to warrant being ousted, did not answer the question. Instead, Pierce described the Joint Committee and said they had gotten lots of complaints.

Earlier today (Friday), Schapira taped a segment of Sunday Square Off, discussing the situation, this time with Channel 12's Brahm Resnik. However, Channel 12 producers could not entice even ONE of the 21 Republican senators who voted to ratify Brewer's coup d'etat to come and justify themselves. Instead, brash former NY/NJ cop John Kavanagh had to do it for them. Sunday Square Off airs at 8am, on Channel 12 in Phoenix.

By the way, Kavanagh took issue with my characterization of his rant at last night's AIRC hearing at the Granite Reef Senior Center. To read his feedback, check the comments after that blog post. Kavanagh was not even a member of the Joint Committee. But he seems to be the brashest of the House GOP caucus.

Wouldn't it have been nice to have GOP Sen. Frank Antenori appear to answer for himself? Normally quite brash, perhaps he did not want to have to answer for why he claimed he would sink the vote if he did not get what he wanted? Much has been made, and rightfully so, of a threat made by the Arizona Democratic Party to initiate a recall against four moderate Republican senators if they voted to oust Mathis. They did so vote, but no recall will be forthcoming. However, Antenori threatened to sabotage the vote. He did not get what he wanted, but did not follow through on his threat.

Could there have been some back room dealing in the state senate that day? A violation of the Open Meeting Law perhaps? Vote counting and arm twisting not done in public? Is that NOT what they claim Mathis' "gross misconduct" was?

No hypocrisy in the Arizona Legislature, right?

The action taken to oust Mathis was completely lawful and devoid of partisanship, right? Isn't that what Steve Pierce and John Kavanagh claim?

Get real people. Strip away the facade.