Sen. Terri Bryant | senatorbryant.com
Sen. Terri Bryant | senatorbryant.com
State Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) recently voiced her disapproval of Democratic-drawn judicial subcircuit maps in a Facebook post.
"Absolute partisan politics at its worst. It is court packing and stacking as well as a violation of the Separation of Powers! We spent only one day in Springfield last week all so that the legislature could pass this crap!!" Bryant said in a Facebook post on Jan. 12.
Bryant posted a link to a WCIA story quoting an email to the Supreme Court justices from Marcia Meis, the director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. Meis described the “legislation railroaded through earlier this week by the General Assembly” as “an unmitigated disaster.”
Meis sent her email on Jan. 10, two days after Democrats pushed their judicial map proposals through both chambers without Republican support.
"This is the perfect example why politicians shouldn't draw maps," said Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield), Republican spokesman on the House Redistricting Committee, according to The State Journal-Register. "This is the perfect example why we need an independent, citizen-led commission to draw our maps, from the legislative to the congressional to the judicial, and even the Cook County Board of Review."
Democratic lawmakers say the new maps give more opportunities for minority judges to be elected.
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