Posted on 05/11/2003 9:53:04 PM PDT by LdSentinal
DENVER - Republican Gov. Bill Owens signed a bill on Friday that redraws congressional districts that are less than 2 years old, a move that could bolster the GOP's slim advantage in a new congressional district.
Democrats vowed to challenge the redistricting in court.
"We plan to use every legal option at our disposal," said Sen. Ron Tupa, chairman of the Democratic caucus.
States must redraw boundaries for congressional and legislative districts every decade to reflect population shifts recorded by the census.
The current battle is leftover business from the last two years, when the states were required to adjust district boundaries based on the 2000 census. In Colorado, the Republican-controlled House and Democrat-controlled Senate deadlocked on the redistricting, and a judge implemented new maps.
Republicans, who now hold majorities in both houses of the Legislature, pushed through another map in the final days of the session this week.
The new plan gives Republicans a 29,000-vote margin in the 7th Congressional District, which GOP Rep. Bob Beauprez won by a 121-vote margin in November. Previously, the district was evenly divided among Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated voters. The law also increases the margin of Republican voters in the 3rd Congressional District.
Reopening the redistricting process was unprecedented in Colorado politics, and some Democrats called it illegal. But Owens said earlier this week that Republicans had a duty to redraw the lines because the Legislature did not finish the job two years ago.
Texas is considering similar plans to redraw congressional districts. New Mexico, where Democrats are in control of the Legislature and the governor's office, abandoned plans to redraw the lines after drawing similar criticism.
The Senate Democrats purposely stalled the redistricting process, knowing it would be sent to, and settled by, a liberal judge. This is exactly what happened.
The Colorado constitution requires that the legislature draw the redistricting map. So correctly, the legislature is now doing what the Colorado Constitution requires.
If you are a biased liberal reporter at a liberal news agency, none of this is important of course. People wanting to know and understand the truth may find the missing information illuminating.
*Note: Democrats were celebrating after a state judge drew Colorado's new 7th Congressional District in their favor on Jan. 25. But the winning side's ugly approach was obscured in most of the ensuing news coverage. Douglas County attorney Richard Schroeder, who followed the case closely in past months and attended the trial, wrote this account of what really happened. --Editors
There they go again. Just over a year ago, Democrats ran to the Florida courts to try to hijack the presidential election. Just over a month ago, Colorado Democrats opened their own act of this comedic tragedy in the Denver District Court Room of Judge John W. Coughlin. On December 17, 2001, the Democrats requested that an unelected judge draw the boundaries for the seven congressional districts in Colorado.
Every 10 years United States Congressional districts are redrawn to determine the districts for members of the United States House of Representatives. Colorado's population increased since the 1990 United States Census, entitling Colorado to seven congressional seats. The fair establishment of congressional boundaries is essential to our representative government. These districts dictate Coloradoan's congressional representation for the next decade. The fundamental principle of representative government is one person, one vote.
However, some people are less equal in the eyes of Democrats. Unable to convince people to support their positions in elections, the Democrats launched a coup to deny Coloradoans their representative choices. Currently, approximately 35% of Colorado voters are registered Republican, with 35% unaffiliated and 30% Democrats. The current six congressional districts reflect this balance, with the Democrats holding two seats and the Republicans four seats. The growth in Colorado has occurred in traditionally Republican areas. Consequently, Republican voters outnumber Democrats by more than 140,000.
Fearful that the Democrats may lose seats in the United States Congress, the Democrats filed a lawsuit asking the court to draw the congressional district boundaries. The President of the Colorado State Senate, Senator Stan Matsunaka, led the Democrats' testimony. Glib and smug, Senator Matsunaka testified that the congressional districts should be drawn to reflect all voter registration numbers including minor parties. The fact that all members of the Colorado General Assembly are affiliated with either the Democrat or Republican Parties apparently seemed unimportant.
However, when Senator Matsunaka was asked specific questions about the Senate bills concerning congressional redistricting he replied with feckless responses. Senator Matsunaka was unaware of the history of the bills including their sponsors, committee votes and final votes. Furthermore, Senator Matsunaka seemed unsure whether Jefferson County should be considered part of the Front Range or part of the Western Slope in congressional redistricting.
The Democrats have failed to win the majority of Colorado's United States Congress seats through fair elections. Consequentially, the Democrats rely on the courts to usurp the legislative process. The crux of representative government is that elected representatives determine legislative or congressional districts.
The coup through lawyers and lawsuits seems to be the only way Democrats can win elections. Senator Matsunaka's dismal gubernatorial fundraising demonstrates that Coloradoans do not support Democrat's policies or their attempts to rig elections. Accordingly, in the upcoming election, Coloradoans should send a clear message that fair elections are important to Colorado and election rigging will not be tolerated.
Richard Schroeder is a Douglas County attorney.
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