Redistricting plan begins ahead of court decision
The meter's running ... Work has already begun on drawing new congressional maps at the Legislature, even as the political world awaits a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on whether that would even be needed.
The House and Senate leaders inked a $65,000 contract with National Demographics Corp. in late May. The Glendale, Calif.-based firm is no stranger to Arizona: It did the redistricting duties for the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission in 2001.
Back then, the Legislature had no quarrel with the IRC, unlike this decade, when it took the commission to court, challenging its authority to draw congressional boundaries.
According to the contract, work has already begun on compiling a demographic database to guide the mapping. The bill for the half payment of $32,500 has already been invoiced.
And if the high court sides with lower courts that the IRC is constitutionally permitted to draw the congressional maps? Well, the bill will be pro-rated so NDC is paid only for the work done thus far, Senate spokesman Mike Philipsen said.
To the victor goes the spoils
Former Secretary of State candidate Terry Goddard is chafing over SOS Michele Reagan's decision to dismiss an election complaint he filed against a group that ran an anti-Goddard ad in the final week of last year's campaign.
Reagan's office last month dismissed the complaint against the 60 Plus Association, determining it was in "substantial compliance" with a law that requires timely notification to a candidate who is the subject of any independent-expenditure ads released 60 days before an election.
60 Plus, a political non-profit that doesn't have to disclose its donors, missed the notification deadline, but it was only by a few hours and, anyway, the notification law is unconstitutional and outdated to boot. So wrote state Elections Director Eric Spencer in the notice to Goddard and 60 Plus.
Goddard said he couldn't believe Reagan didn't send the complaint to a neutral party, given the ad likely contributed to her victory. He questioned why she's making legal decisions instead of letting the attorney general do it, and and he's amazed her office didn't find a violation, given 60 Plus copped to the complaint.
"In the immortal words of Russell Pearce, 'What part of illegal doesn't she understand?' " said Goddard, a former state attorney general.
Spencer determined because 60 Plus sent out the notice as soon as it noticed its oversight, all was well. As for conflict of interest? Eh, Reagan didn't rule on the matter until the campaign was over, so no conflict.
And the AG's office apparently is copacetic with the legal determination Spencer made about the notification being unconstitutional, saying it had a "dialogue" with the secretary of state about that legal finding.
Compiled by Republic reporters Mary Jo Pitzl, Alia Beard Rau andYvonne Wingett Sanchez.