Rep. Bos Says Independent Redistricting Desperately Needed

SPRINGFIELD - State Representative Chris Bos (R-Lake Zurich) issued the following statement in response to Democrats forcing a new set of gerrymandered redistricting maps through the House despite calls against it from dozens of advocacy organizations:

"Today was another clear example of why Illinois so desperately needs an independent process for drawing legislative maps to prevent politicians from picking their constituents," said Bos. "The U.S. Census data released this month showed, as predicted, the gerrymandered maps passed by the majority party this spring violated both our state and U.S. Constitutions, and federal law. Instead of shifting responsibility for drawing legislative maps to a bipartisan commission like Illinois' Constitution states, hastily called hearings were thrown together that witnesses couldn't even attend because they didn't have time to prepare. Until last night, not one of those hearings even featured a legislative map proposal, which was changed again today, and is also why several good-government advocacy groups refused to participate in what was clearly a fake process.

"Instead of allowing a thorough, open and fair process including public review and feedback, Illinois was treated to another closed-door gerrymandering sitcom pretending to be representative government. It's now up to the courts to do the right thing and declare this gerrymandering mockery void."