So it appears the ILGOP is trolling the House GOP which is trolling the Democrats for not waiting until mid-August when the granular census data for redistricting will be released. https://t.co/z2ZZapzaDW
Our news cameras were rolling as dozens of House Democrats filed in and out of a locked door on the Capitol Complex grounds. Inside, members of House Speaker Chris Welch’s staff showed members one-by-one where the lines of their new districts could be drawn.
“Meeting with members is nothing new,” Welch’s spokeswoman Jaclyn Driscoll said in an emailed statement. “In fact, the room we’re talking to members in is actually the same we met in 10 years ago. This is and will remain a transparent process.”
“It’s just preliminary drafts for each district,” Rep. Nick Smith (D-Chicago) said on his way into the room.
Several other state representatives avoided questions about the meetings or gave evasive answers. Others who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that they were reviewing the early drafts of the House district maps. Some members felt there weren’t many recognizable changes, but pointed out that the lines could still change several times before they’re finalized.
Not really a big dealio because it happens every ten years, but the full story does get in some zings at Democrats who promised “transparency”…
* HGOP media advisory…
MEDIA ADVISORY: Illinois House Republicans to Highlight the Democratic “Transparency” in Redistricting Process
WHO: Illinois House Republican State Representatives Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield), Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville), Tim Butler (R-Springfield), Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) and Ryan Spain (R-Peoria)
WHAT: House Republicans to highlight the Democratic “transparency” in the redistricting process.
WHEN: 12:30 PM on Thursday, May 6th, 2021
WHERE: MAP ROOM – 401S in the Stratton Building (by the mounds of old furniture), Springfield, IL. This will be streamed on Blueroom and on the House Republican Facebook Page.
It ain’t much, but it’s all they’ve got at the moment.
I’m not sure a drab, empty meeting room sends the message HGOP was hoping for…
But then, tbh, I’m not sure what message they were hoping for?
- Louis G Atsaves - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 11:28 am:
So right now only Democrats are looking at these proposed maps? The maps still aren’t in the hands of the GOP? Doesn’t sound all that transparent at the moment. And the same old same old procedure being used is no excuse based on all the claims that this would somehow change. It hasn’t. It won’t. Democratic legislators going into a private room to review maps and suggest changes that would benefit them? I know, I know. Nothing to see here. Just move on. They got the votes to do what they wish, not what they promised.
LOL. Put them on a lie detector and ask them whether they don’t have a system working somewhere. They’d fail miserably. Check the GQP caucus spending and see for yourself. They’re crunching up options to present to inform their members on options, to help with debate and to prepare for legal challenges.
Not a very intelligent or “smart” political argument.
Isn’t that the Amy Comey Barrett argument as to why she’s seated?
To the post,
=== It ain’t much, but it’s all they’ve got at the moment.===
Irrelevance breeds grasping.
The only pivot Dems have is “we are fighting to ensure the Voters Rights Act is followed and being adhered to in this process. If Republicans are against the Voters Rights Act to draw maps they feel might be more fair to them, then this criticism makes sense”
With the governor on board to signing, it’s like the Raunerites are on the sides of the track with handmade signs as the train rolls along.
Not great, but… “They got the votes to do what they wish”
- give me a break - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 11:38 am:
the publicly accessible door to the publicly accessible Stratton Building is off Edwards St. Going from the cap and through the tunnel was a tad dramatic and misleading.
What I don’t understand is how stupid are these legislators are for walking right into this trap. I guess their interest in participating in a corrupt redistricting process is so important they don’t mind the PR hit (which is because no matter how bad the PR is they’re still guaranteed to win).
- Birds on the Bat - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 1:25 pm:
Just like democrat’s promise for transparency in the process…
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 1:43 pm:
I see Batinick thinks enough time has passed to get his name back out there since his legislative assistant tried to overthrow the federal government in january.
Nope. Try back in a thousand years bud. Don’t want to hear a word about what he thinks should be done regarding how our government works.
Next there will be a breathtaking dispatch telling us about secret tax and gambling plans being developed behind closed doors in Room 112 of the Capitol Building. ANd Pt II will be a news extra revealing GOPie offices on the 4th FLoor of Stratton
- Snarkie from Schaumburg - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 5:21 pm:
please sing along: We are white men, hear us roar, in numbers, too many to - (well not any more) (apologies to Helen Reddy1)
Oh, please. Just the kind of cheap shot nonsense I’d expect from Mark Maxwell. Start in the Capitol and make the tunnels to Stratton sound evil and nefarious because had he walked across the sunny parking lot that wouldn’t have looked so bad. Malarkey.
I’m in favor of fair maps, but political parties make draft maps in private. Then they release them. So what?
- Arsenal - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 11:18 am:
I’m not sure a drab, empty meeting room sends the message HGOP was hoping for…
But then, tbh, I’m not sure what message they were hoping for?
- Louis G Atsaves - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 11:28 am:
So right now only Democrats are looking at these proposed maps? The maps still aren’t in the hands of the GOP? Doesn’t sound all that transparent at the moment. And the same old same old procedure being used is no excuse based on all the claims that this would somehow change. It hasn’t. It won’t. Democratic legislators going into a private room to review maps and suggest changes that would benefit them? I know, I know. Nothing to see here. Just move on. They got the votes to do what they wish, not what they promised.
- Norseman - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 11:34 am:
LOL. Put them on a lie detector and ask them whether they don’t have a system working somewhere. They’d fail miserably. Check the GQP caucus spending and see for yourself. They’re crunching up options to present to inform their members on options, to help with debate and to prepare for legal challenges.
Now to the tune of the Mr. Ed theme song:
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 11:38 am:
===They got the votes to do what they wish===
Not a very intelligent or “smart” political argument.
Isn’t that the Amy Comey Barrett argument as to why she’s seated?
To the post,
=== It ain’t much, but it’s all they’ve got at the moment.===
Irrelevance breeds grasping.
The only pivot Dems have is “we are fighting to ensure the Voters Rights Act is followed and being adhered to in this process. If Republicans are against the Voters Rights Act to draw maps they feel might be more fair to them, then this criticism makes sense”
With the governor on board to signing, it’s like the Raunerites are on the sides of the track with handmade signs as the train rolls along.
Not great, but… “They got the votes to do what they wish”
- give me a break - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 11:38 am:
the publicly accessible door to the publicly accessible Stratton Building is off Edwards St. Going from the cap and through the tunnel was a tad dramatic and misleading.
- Third Reading - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 11:48 am:
Photo: The 2024 HGOP caucus meeting shall come to order
- Huh? - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 12:16 pm:
“MAP ROOM”
That’s the room where Indiana Jones went to discover the location of the lost ark of the covenant.
Wonder if the GQP used a staff that was too tall and are digging in the wrong place.
- Birds on the Bat - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 12:17 pm:
They got the votes to do what they wish
Transparency be damned.
- Levois J - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 12:21 pm:
Oh I’m sorry, I’ll start listening when the legislative Republicans finally gain a significant number of seats!
- Sonny - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 12:47 pm:
Also full of snakes.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 12:56 pm:
So I can walk right into the HGOP map room no questions asked?
- Citizen Kane - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 12:58 pm:
=== was a tad dramatic and misleading. ===
Just like democrat’s promise for transparency in the process…
- Just Me 2 - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 1:17 pm:
What I don’t understand is how stupid are these legislators are for walking right into this trap. I guess their interest in participating in a corrupt redistricting process is so important they don’t mind the PR hit (which is because no matter how bad the PR is they’re still guaranteed to win).
- Birds on the Bat - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 1:25 pm:
Just like democrat’s promise for transparency in the process…
Crickets
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 1:28 pm:
“It’s show business”
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 1:43 pm:
I see Batinick thinks enough time has passed to get his name back out there since his legislative assistant tried to overthrow the federal government in january.
Nope. Try back in a thousand years bud. Don’t want to hear a word about what he thinks should be done regarding how our government works.
- Cool Papa Bell - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 2:03 pm:
Do voters care about this? I totally understand why CapFax is all over it - but do Don and Doris next door give a rip?
Can’t see the traction that the GOP is trying to get here makes any difference with voters.
- Annonin' - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 2:34 pm:
Next there will be a breathtaking dispatch telling us about secret tax and gambling plans being developed behind closed doors in Room 112 of the Capitol Building. ANd Pt II will be a news extra revealing GOPie offices on the 4th FLoor of Stratton
- Snarkie from Schaumburg - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 5:21 pm:
please sing along: We are white men, hear us roar, in numbers, too many to - (well not any more) (apologies to Helen Reddy1)
- SouthSide Markie - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 6:02 pm:
== “It’s show business” ==
Which explains, OW, why my first thought was to expect Don Adams to come through that door at any minute.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 6:07 pm:
Hosted by Geraldo as a “let’s see what’s in the vault” kinda silly is a reminder how ham handed the Raunerites are right now.
They have this thing and it’s… Golden.
How much of today has any legs… welp, tomorrow is Friday…
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 6:16 pm:
Oh, please. Just the kind of cheap shot nonsense I’d expect from Mark Maxwell. Start in the Capitol and make the tunnels to Stratton sound evil and nefarious because had he walked across the sunny parking lot that wouldn’t have looked so bad. Malarkey.
I’m in favor of fair maps, but political parties make draft maps in private. Then they release them. So what?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 6, 21 @ 6:16 pm:
- SouthSide Markie -
“Missed it… by that much”