Consensus: Silicon Valley leaders from across political spectrum are thumbs down on Newsom's redistricting ploy
From Social Democrat Alex Lee in Fremont to GOP candidates for congress and assembly, Bay Areans are rejecting efforts to dismantle CA's Independent Citizens' Redistricting Commission.
CA Assemblyman Alex Lee:
“Trying to save democracy by destroying democracy is dangerous and foolish. By legitimizing the race to the bottom of gerrymandering, Democrats will ultimately lose.”--Alex Lee, Assemblymember
Carol Pefley, Candidate for CA State Assembly Dist. 28:
“This isn’t about partisanship. It’s about process. Voters of all stripes deserve to know who is shaping their representation. Cutting off debate and refusing to disclose the architects of new district maps undermines public trust and sets a dangerous precedent.
"California has long prided itself on independent redistricting. The voters demanded this when they passed the Voters First Act in 2008. The State legislature should not be able to bypass the will of the voters. The public deserves full clarity, not vague assurances and muted microphones.
"California is already gerrymandered to the point where 40% of the people who vote conservative have no representation as the Democrat supermajority allows the progressive machine to pass anything they want."--Carol Pefley, Candidate for Ca State Assembly District 28
Peter Coe Verbica, Candidate for CA Congressional District 19:
"The Bay Area's congressional delegation -- Ro Khanna, Zoe Lofgren, Sam Liccardo, Jimmy Panetta, Nancy Pelosi, Lateefa Simon, and Eric Swalwell -- should all resign immediately.
"Why? Because they've abandoned -- via their support of state Democrats' outrageous gerrymandering schemes -- their #1 job as our congresspeople: representation.
"They admit in media reports that they are only working for the national Democratic party, not the People of the State of California.
"In the Mercury News, our so-called representatives explicitly say that "the only reason they are doing this" is to "win in the midterms and be able to block" the GOP agenda -- California voters' opinions notwithstanding. This is an astonishing abandonment the oath of office everyone in that delegation took. It is a brazen slap in the face of the First Principles of a democratic republic. It is disqualifying in the extreme."--Peter Coe Verbica, Congressional Candidate, CD19
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