An investigation last month by CalWatchDog.com, which I edit, revealed that at least one of the 14 commissioners in charge of drawing new district lines for California’s elected representatives had made multiple political campaign contributions to Democratic candidates—contributions that were previously undisclosed to the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. The commissioner, Gabino Aguirre, also has an extensive web of connections—similarly undisclosed—to a special-interest group that submitted its own redistricting proposals to the commission. The revelations about Aguirre don’t merely call into question the integrity of the redistricting process. They also cast doubt on the entire agenda advanced by good-government activists and the state’s moderate business community, who touted redistricting reform as a central plank of their platform to fix California’s dysfunctional political system.
During a press conference in Sacramento announcing final release of the new district maps, redistricting commission members evaded tough questions about Aguirre’s alleged conflicts of interest.
[Read on at above link.]
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