Common Cause Urges Governor Brewer to Reinstate IRC Chair Mathis and to Allow Commission to Complete its Work

Common Cause urged Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer today to reinstate Colleen Mathis as chairwoman of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC).

“Ms. Mathis’ dismissal was a mistake. The allegations of ‘gross misconduct’ levied by Gov. Jan Brewer and affirmed in the state Senate vote to remove her as commission chair are baseless and fueled by partisanship,” said Greg Rabidoux, Common Cause’s director for redistricting.

“There’s a right way and a wrong way to ensure that the independent redistricting commission conducts its business lawfully. Governor Brewer has chosen the wrong way,” Rabidoux said. “Arizona voters sent a clear and strong message in 2006, when they passed Proposition 106 and created the IRC. That message was that the governor and the legislature, regardless of party, must stay out of the redistricting process. Now Governor Brewer and her allies in the Senate have ignored the will of her constituents; their rush to depose Ms. Mathis and hijack the IRC process stems from their dislike of the draft maps the Commission released.”