A Little More Time
Indiana lawmakers are expected to take up the new legislative maps today, however House Democrats are asking for more time to review them. In a letter to House Speaker Brian Bosma and Elections Committee Chairman State Representative Eric Koch, Democratic leader Pat Bauer and Ranking Member John Bartlett say today’s committee hearing and vote should be postponed so there can be more analysis of the new maps.
They also say there hasn’t been enough transparency in the process and they say the maps raise serious legal issues and they also point to what they claim are errors in public statements regarding the number of impacted lawmakers. For example, it was originally stated the State Representatives Ed DeLaney and Greg Porter were drawn into the same district. It was later discovered that State Representative John Day also lives in the district. Republicans say they did not take incumbent addresses into account when they drew the maps and they don’t plan to take those addresses into account in any revisions.
No offense, but Democrats wouldn’t need more time if they hadn’t left the state for 30+ days. Because of the walkout, the legislature came to a virtual standstill and now lawmakers are pressed for time to get everything done, including drawing new maps. Asking for more time to review proposals is like the kid who killed his parents and is now asking for leniency because he’s an orphan.
Had Democrats not walked out or come back sooner (like when right to work was taken off the table) there would have been ample time to have these discussions about maps and lines. And for that matter, I thought Democrats were working while they away, so you would have thought someone would have been keeping an eye on this issues. Unfortunately, when you’re not at the table, there can’t be a discussion and there are only 16 days of lawmaking left, so it is what it is. Next time, stay put. We’ll do this again in 10 years.
