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Redistricting Editorial Was More Anti-Republican Drivel
Talking Back to the Daily News

I'm sorry, but enough is enough. I've a wastebasket filled with retorts to your unabashedly biased anti-Republican editorials and too often "stories," but your Sept. 28 editorial "Partisan play" has put me over the top.

You state that the "Republican-dominated" legislative council has "stuck its nose in a partisan fight." The lawsuits are contesting the obviously gerrymandered redistricting plan written, not by the appointed board, but by a group of Democrat/conservation activists. Actually, I agree. There are enough individuals and groups already engaged in this lawsuit.

What your editorial failed to mention is that the Administration had long ago entered this fight with its Department of Law and public money. Most recently they filed a motion to stifle the voices of local governments who feel the plan unfairly affects their communities. Had you asked, I'm sure you'd have learned that the Administration was offered your point of view on public dollars being spent on this issue and were advised that if they pulled out, the Legislature would not be required to balance off their obvious partisan position with its own.

Their answer was no, stating that the redistricting board is a "state commission" and thus requires their participation. That statement is just not correct. The whole idea of amending our constitution in this area was to create a redistricting board that would NOT be controlled or influenced by government (Administrative or Legislative) and would rather redraw legislative district boundaries using only the nonpartisan criteria provided in that document. Unfortunately, this time around at least, what that effort netted was the board's adoption of a totally partisan plan by a vote of 3 to 2 rather than 5 to zip.

In any event, the board has its own legal counsel and budget and needs no intervention of support or opposition from the governor or the Legislature. So . . . why not turn your mighty pen on the guy that started this inappropriate use of public dollars?

Realizing that one should never engage in a letter-writing contest with anyone who buys their ink by the barrel, I know you'll get the last word on this issue. Regardless, I do feel better for finally commenting on your lack of objectivity and highly recommend it to others who might share my observations.

Brian Porter
Speaker of the House

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