Democracy Dies in Darkness

Yesterday’s Assembly Elections Committee hearing on Governor Newsom’s controversial redistricting proposal was supposed to be about protecting democracy. Instead, Californians who tuned into the Assembly Elections Committee hearing yesterday didn’t witness a democratic process, they witnessed its unraveling. It was difficult to watch.

The current CA State Assemblywoman of District 28, Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz), is also Chair of the State Elections Committee and conducted the so-called hearing yesterday that left many Californians with more questions than answers. When Republican Assemblymember Alexandra Macedo (R-Tulare) attempted to ask who drew the new congressional maps, an essential question for any redistricting process, Pellerin cut her microphone. When pressed by reporters after the hearing, Pellerin couldn’t name a single person or organization responsible for drawing the lines. Her repeated claim that the process was “transparent” rang hollow.

Assemblyman Tangipa (R-Fresno) asked about all of the co-authors of the bill who may have a vested interest in the newly drawn maps, then proposed an amendment stating that any member of the legislature who votes for the ACA cannot run for Congress in any of the newly proposed congressional districts, but of course Democrats killed the amendment. On top of that, Republican members of the committee were given less then 24 hours to read the bill and maps.

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.

Those of you that voted for Gail Pellerin should be thinking twice about reelecting her. She stated “Donald Trump lit this fire by pressuring Texas to redistricting.” She goes on, “This is about saving Democracy itself.” Saving Democracy by squashing a law passed by voters to protect our rights against something like this?

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. Gail Pellerin seems to have no problem with disenfranchising millions of California voters, including people that she is supposed to represent in District 28.

It’s time to vote these people out. They don’t represent us.

Carol Pefley
Candidate for Ca State Assembly District 28