A Texas-Sized Brawl Over Redistricting (It's all the Republican's Fault)

The Washington Post ^ | May 17, 2003 | Lee Hockstader

[where's_the_Outrage?]

AUSTIN, May 16 -- The man who strode into the Texas Legislature's committee room last month with a sheaf of maps under his arm was an out-of-towner, but everyone knew his business.

He was Jim Ellis, a political aide to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) in Washington, and the maps contained an incendiary proposal for redrawing Texas's voting districts to pack a half-dozen more Republicans on to the state's congressional delegation.

DeLay's fingerprints -- and literally those of his aide -- were all over the Texas redistricting plan, which erupted in a partisan brawl this week when more than 50 Democrats boycotted the state House of Representatives and slipped into Oklahoma to escape state troopers sent to retrieve them.

[where's_the_Outrage?]

How could I have not have realized that this was all Tom DeLay's fault for getting partisan Republican issues into the state of Texas. Glad the Post was able to set me straight.

[goodieD]

I'm just embarrassed that Oklahoma let em in.

[GOPcapitalist]

How could I have not have realized that this was all Tom DeLay's fault for getting partisan Republican issues into the state of Texas. Glad the Post was able to set me straight.

...and not a word about the DNC/DCCC fingerprints that were all over the opposition to redistricting. Not a word about democrat Rep. Martin Frost's aide who was caught on tape stealing maps from the redistricting committee room. Not a word about democrat Rep. Charlie Gonzales' staffers who organized committee testimony for the rats on redistricting. Not a word about democrat Rep. Lloyd Doggett's support of the fugitives in Oklahoma. Just Tom DeLay.

[syriacus]

More_{Democrats 2003}

Flim and Flam

[CyberAnt]

Excuse me .... What happened to the COURT ORDER ...??

I understand a court ordered the redistricting and now the dems have thumbed their nose at it. What's with that ...??

[ChadGore]

What the minority democrats did was to figure out a way to get payed with taxpayer money while doing nothing.

It's called socialism.

[Consort]

Somebody's head has to roll here, either one or more Democrat heads for doing what they did, or one or more Republican heads for not getting the job done. If no heads roll, then the party in control is the problem. Or, maybe DeLay is the problem here.

[MarkL]

Moral of the story:

When DemonRATs gerrymander congressional districts, it's a good thing, promotes fairness, and it's "for the children."

When Republicans gerrymander congressional districts, it's a terrible thing, is designed to penalize the poor and defenseless, which will leave the poor and minorities foodless, homeless, and dead on the streets, all so the rich can get richer.

Mark

[freekitty]

It's really sad that these people can not do the right thing for the people of Texas. I guess by their imature actions; they think it's funny to sneak off to another state. It's really too bad they are not grown up enough to handle responsibilty. It also shows you they are not there to do good; only what they get away with. What has this world come to when your elected officials behave in such a manner.

[StACase]

It's really sad that these people can not do the right thing for the people of Texas. I guess by their imature actions; they think it's funny to sneak off to another state. It's really too bad they are not grown up enough to handle responsibilty. It also shows you they are not there to do good; only what they get away with. What has this world come to when your elected officials behave in such a manner.

The liberal press is going to paint them as heroic and clever, and you can take that to the bank!

[solo gringo]

If you believe the post you will believe the Demo rep.were rite.Get a rope.

[CMClay]

Well the maps were poorly drawn, stretching parts of Austin down to the mexican border, and my own district in east Texas stretched over to Houston like a snake.

When the Dems saw that, they knew they'd get the press on their side.
Sometimes Tom Delay is his own worst enemy.

[The UnVeiled Lady]

they say that they are talking about charging the Dems about $700,000 for the costs. But it takes $375,000 a day to cover the legislatures in town. At 4 days that is 1,500,000.00 + the cost of bringing the DPS in to find them. I can't even begin to think what that cost.

[AndyMeyers]

Tom DeLay will never have the press on his side and will not try to do the things necessary to get them on his side.

If a principled conservative like Tom DeLay has the liberal press on his side, something is very wrong.

The Democrats violated their oath of office and should first apologize and then resign in mass. I know they are not going to, but I can indulge in wishful thinking.

[El Gato]

Excuse me .... What happened to the COURT ORDER ...??
I understand a court ordered the redistricting and now the dems have thumbed their nose at it. What's with that ...??

Unless there is one I don't know about, the Court order was in 2001 After the divided Legislature did not come up with plans for state Senate and House districts as well as Congressional districts, a state constitutional provision kicked in for the state legislative districts. However the Legislative Redistricting Board (LRB) that came up with state legislative district plans does not have authority over Congressioinal Districts. So the courts got involved. First the state courts, then the federal courts. The 2002 elections were held according to the plan finally approved/generted by the federal courts. You can read all about it on the Texas Legislative Council's Redistring website's page: 77th Legislature's Redistricting Summary. The US Supreme Court didn't finalize things until mid 2002, although what they did was merely let stand the lower federal courts rulings the previous November.

[Mamzelle]

There must be a harsh retaliation--they have to figure out something that will stick, and will hurt.

[CyberAnt]

Okay - that explains a lot of things. I kept hearing about this court order and I couldn't connect the dots. Thanks.

[freekitty]

Right on StACase.