<html><body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><div>So, let me see if I have this right . . .</div><div><br></div><div>House Speaker Denney is "firing" Rep. Crow from the Redistricting Commission because he felt that the submitted redistricting plan is too Democrat-friendly, and at the same time . . .</div><div><br></div><div>. . . the House is creating a bipartisan ethics committee, which House Speaker Denney has deemed as inappropriate because (according to him) the Dems are guilty of alot of unethical activities.</div><div><br></div><div>Perhaps, as a friend and fellow Viz subscriber mentioned to me off-list, the House bipartisan ethics committee will give House Speaker something to really "crow" about.<br><br><div>Seeya later, Moscow.</div><div><br></div><div>Tom Hansen</div><div>Post Falls, Idaho</div><div><br></div><div>"If not us, who?</div><div>If not now, when?"</div><div><br></div><div>- Unknown</div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div><div><br>On Jan 24, 2012, at 3:16 PM, Shirley Ringo <<a href="mailto:ringoshirl@moscow.com">ringoshirl@moscow.com</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Visionaries</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><font face="Calibri">Legislative Report, week 2</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><font face="Calibri">Extreme, over-the-top, partisanship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That describes the action of Republican
leaders regarding legislative redistricting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><font face="Calibri">The new population count obtained from the US census requires that
state legislative districts be redrawn to achieve relative equal numbers in each
district.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In 1994, Idaho citizens
directed that this task be accomplished by a bi-partisan commission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Clearly, it is not desirable to give
this assignment to sitting legislators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>There would be grave danger that lines would be drawn to protect
politicians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Gerrymandering.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><font face="Calibri">In response to the 1994 initiative, Idaho now has a bi-partisan
redistricting committee consisting of three Republicans and three
Democrats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The members of the first
commission were unable to reach agreement within the allotted time period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So, a second commission was
appointed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For the Republicans,
House Speaker Lawerence Denney appointed Dolores Crow, Senate Pro Tem Brent Hill
appointed Sheila Olsen, and Republican Party Chair Norm Semanko appointed Randy
Hansen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For the Democrats, House
Minority Leader John Rusche appointed Shauneen Grange, Senate Minority Leader
Edgar Malepeai appointed Elmer Martinez, and Democrat Party Chair Larry Grant
appointed Ron Beitelspacher.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><font face="Calibri">The members of the second commission approached the problem of
redrawing district lines exactly as Idaho citizens envisioned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Without regard to the interests of
sitting legislators, and without partisanship, they followed the Idaho
Constitution as closely as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>This commission reached a solution upon which its members agreed
unanimously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><font face="Calibri">Subsequently, their plan was challenged in the court and
overturned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The second commission,
which approved the plan, must now make adjustments in an attempt to satisfy the
court.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><font face="Calibri">There should be no controversy – we await the new plan.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><font face="Calibri">Not so fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lawerence
Denney and Norm Semanko take center stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>These two politicians have announced their plan to fire Dolores Crow and
Randy Hansen from the Commission – at least in part because they think these
commissioners failed to help their party enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In other words, these politicians,
Denney and Semanko, are going to remove two members they appointed to a
bi-partisan commission for the crime of not having been sufficiently partisan.
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><font face="Calibri">To their credit, Crow and Hansen refuse to leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Idaho’s Attorney General has ruled they
can’t be fired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Idaho’s Secretary
of State refuses to declare vacancies on the commission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But Denney and Semanko have shopped for
and found a lawyer to support their cause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Denney and Semanko have now filed a petition in the Idaho Supreme Court
to immediately order Secretary of State Ben Ysursa to declare two vacancies on
the Idaho citizens’ redistricting commission.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><font face="Calibri">Meanwhile, the filing deadline for the primary election looms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Idahoans are held hostage by insensitive
leaders who seem incapable of responding appropriately. The people spoke in 1994
– they do not want legislative districts to give an edge to any political
party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Denney and Semanko should
let the process work.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><font face="Calibri">Representative Shirley Ringo</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><font face="Calibri"></font> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><o:p><font face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><o:p><font face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><o:p><font face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><o:p><font face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p></div>
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