IL GOP Chairman: Dems’ new maps anything but transparent

(From the IL GOP Party)                                                                                         

 

“I believe in competition, so I want competitive districts. I think the process should be open.” -Governor Pat Quinn, Chicago Tribune Interview, 11/6/10

 

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady said that maps being released by Illinois Democrats this week are the result of a process that broke their own promise of transparency.

 “Governor (Pat) Quinn assured the public that they would have an open and transparent process in redrawing legislative maps and that we’d have a fair map but we’ve seen nothing of it,” said Brady.

 Brady noted reports that only Democratic members were allowed into a secretly-coded, locked room in Springfield to see draft versions of proposed maps and give input on new boundaries.

 “By shutting Republicans and Independents completely out from the process and only allowing their own members to have input on the maps, the Democrats have confused the definition of ‘transparency’ with ‘hypocrisy,’” said Brady.

 Brady said, “It’s a sad commentary for Illinois when a select few people with a special passcode to a private room in Springfield decide the future of public policy in our state while holding phony public meetings and putting on a facade of transparency.”

“Last year, Illinois voters, by electing many new Republican candidates, made it clear they are tired of one-party rule and want some checks and balances. This week, a select few Democratic Party insiders used every trick they had to stifle any future debate about their runaway taxes, spending and debt,” said Brady.