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Nov 18, 2011

AZ Supreme Court sides w/the people, but GOP power grab not over

Power grab not over yet, as reports cite new schemes to overthrow voter-approved process

PHOENIX -- The Arizona Supreme Court rightly sided with the people of Arizona in rejecting Gov. Brewer’s illegal removal of the independent redistricting commission's chairwoman. But Republican politicians are already working on new plans to overthrow a voter-approved process.

Over a decade ago, the people voted to take redistricting out of the hands of self-interested politicians. But the governor and Republicans made an unprecedented power grab to get it back -- in the process, they trampled the Constitution and outraged people across Arizona and the nation. Yesterday in court, their baseless claims against a citizen commissioner fell apart.

"The Supreme Court’s ruling was the ultimate check on power-hungry politicians who thought they answered to no one," said Andrei Cherny, Arizona Democratic Party chairman."These politicians had already lost in the court of public opinion, and yesterday, they lost in a court of law."

In fact, Brewer's attorney stood before the justices and argued that the governor did not have to prove gross misconduct, and that 'gross misconduct' means whatever Brewer says it means -- even asserting that if Brewer didn't like the hairstyle of the redistricting chairwoman, that could be grounds for removal.

"This argument is an attack on American values," Cherny said. "John Adams, one of our founding fathers, wrote that a republic is 'a government of laws, not of men.' But Jan Brewer has attacked that very notion, saying the law means whatever she says it means."

Unfortunately, the power grab isn't over yet. Already, there are reports of new schemes that would mock the will of the voters who passed Prop. 106. Some Republicans want to force an initiative repealing Prop. 106 onto the ballot during Arizona’s GOP presidential primary in February. Others want the governor to attempt another illegal removal by using a new set of trumped-up charges.

"They refuse to listen to the people, and they refuse to listen to the courts," Cherny said. "Republicans won’t stop until they own the next 10 years of Arizona elections. For the sake of good government and fair elections, their schemes must be exposed and these politicians must be held accountable."

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