27 Oct RELEASE: Republicans Subvert the People, Say “Ink is Still Wet” on Independent Redistricting Commission?

REPUBLICANS PREPARE TO TEAR UP INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION BECAUSE THEIR OWN APPOINTEE THREW A TANTRUM?

SALT LAKE CITY, October 27th 2021 — What? Just hours ago, Speaker Brad Wilson asserted that the “ink is still wet” on the Independent Redistricting Commission’s maps, and that because Wilson’s own appointee, former Rep. Rob Bishop just quit the commission in dramatic fashion, the Legislature should reconsider the entirety of the process that the public passed for independent redistricting.

While Republicans seek to subvert the will of the people and “re-evaluate” the UIRC, Democrats remember that the advisory role of the commission is subversion of the will of the people in the first place, who gave the commissioners a mandate to draw fair and balanced maps that give Utah fair representation — allowing Utahns to pick their politicians, not the other way around.

“In case it wasn’t already clear, Republicans are looking to completely throw away your decision and your voice when you, the people, passed Prop. 4 in 2018” said Utah Democratic Party Acting Chair Diane Lewis. “The playbook is almost impressive in it’s bald-facedness: cast doubt on the commission, tell the people that the Republican supermajority knows better than the voters, and then use their own appointee’s temper-tantrum resignation as a reason to dismantle the commission as a whole.”

Utah Democrats stand strongly against Speaker Wilson and the Republican majority’s dangerous anti-democracy actions. Surrogates, Acting Chair Diane Lewis, and others are available for media upon request. Contact Communications Director Joshua Rush at 801-830-0645.

The Utah Democratic Party is the face and voice of Democrats in the State of Utah. We believe that Utahns deserve strong, competent leadership that puts the people and democracy first.