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Arizona State Supreme Court Orders Redistricting Official Reinstated
The Arizona State Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the chairwoman of the state redistricting commission removed by Gov. Jan Brewer and the Republican-controlled state Senate should be reinstated. Following the recommendation of Gov. Brewer, the Senate voted 21-6 to remove Colleen C. Mathis, the chairwoman of the Independent Redistricting Commission, on Nov. 1.
Arizona voters decided in 2000 that a citizens' commission of two Republicans, two Democrats, and an independent chairman would draw redistricting lines. The constitutional amendment stipulates that commissioners can only be removed by a two-thirds vote of the Senate for "substantial neglect of duty, gross misconduct in office or inability to discharge the duties of the office."
The court said that Gov. Brewer failed to demonstrate that Ms. Mathis engaged in conduct that gave constitutional grounds for refusal.
Gov. Brewer accused Ms. Mathis, a registered independent, of improperly conducting commission business out of public view and of skewing the redistricting process toward Democrats. The governor also sought to remove the two Democrats on the panel but did not have the votes. Challengers argue that the governor acted outside her constitutional authority for partisan motivations, and did not provide due process to Ms. Mathis.
