Oct 28, 2011
Horne continues to stonewall public-records request into partisan AIRC investigation
AZ Dems requested records to shed light on questionable inquiry of redistricting panel
PHOENIX -- Back on Oct. 7, the Arizona Democratic Party issued a public records request to Attorney General Tom Horne in order to lift the veil on the coordinated Republican attack against the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. Three weeks later, Horne has yet to turn over a single public document.
From Day One, it's been obvious that Horne's investigation is rooted in partisanship and is nothing more than a tool to harass and intimidate the citizen volunteers on the commission. Just this morning, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled that Horne had a conflict of interest and blocked him from pursuing his case further. But rather than put the investigation to rest and let the commission perform its duties, Horne is now urging another Republican, Maricopa County Attorney General Bill Montgomery, to take over the investigation and continue it.
Horne appears to be stonewalling the public records request because he fears that insider communications will come out, like an Oct.5 email from GOP Sen. Frank Antenori to several other Republicans, in which Antenori wrote that Brewer's attack on the AIRC was "better late than never. Is she willing to support removing Mathis now?" The email was produced by the state Senate in response to our records request, and it further confirms that Republicans are inciting attacks on the AIRC.
In addition to Horne, Gov. Brewer, AZGOP congressmen, Republican state legislators and other Republican elected officials are continuing this coordinated assault on the redistricting commission, mainly out of fear. Republicans are afraid of having to compete in fair and competitive districts. They know full well that, despite the GOP supermajority at the Capitol, roughly two-thirds of Arizonans do not even belong to their party.
"We will continue to push back against this historic power grab being perpetrated by Brewer, Horne, Republican congressmen and Republican state lawmakers," said Luis Heredia, Arizona Democratic Party executive director. "These politicians have grossly overreached and abused their power, and they must be held accountable."
