Thread by @KatyAShanahan

Good evening from the Ohio Statehouse where the GOP Gang of 5 on the Commission might force a vote on “fixed” maps that have been entirely invalidated by SCOhio just 10 days ago as being unconstitutionally gerrymandered.

No one has seen these maps & no public input will be taken

In case anyone needs a reminder about why we’re here - 5 days after independent mappers worked tirelessly to pump out new fair maps - it’s because the GOP refuses to accept reality that #FairMaps mean they lose power they don’t deserve in the first place.

https://twitter.com/JoshRultNews/status/1508576722110746626

Cannot possibly imagine SCOhio will enjoy watching the GOP brazenly ignore their clear order that instructed them to use outside mappers to - as an entire Comm'n with both Ds and Rs involved - help draw maps and to adopt them in a more bipartisan way.

https://twitter.com/JoshRultNews/status/1508611638118649858

It's 9:18pm and Speaker Cupp just submitted a "new" set of maps to the Commission's website.

Remember all those times the GOP said that they didn't get the ind mappers' materials with enough prior notice?

The hearing is about to start any minute so 🤯🤬🤯🤬🤯🤬🤯🤬

Hearing room packed with #FairMaps fighters to make clear that what the Commission is about to do flies in the face of the voters’ wishes, the constitution, the Court, and our democracy.

Shame on the GOP.

Here are Dave's Redistricting links to the GOP's new maps.

I just cannot fully describe how utterly infuriating and insulting it is to see this process end in this way - again.

https://twitter.com/jbalmert/status/1508616134177660928

Johnson suggests it'd take just 45 minutes to an hour to finish his Senate map.

Huffman is now asking questions and tbh I'm not sure why. End this all. Vote on your gerrymandered map. Let us keep fighting. But tonight have mercy on us and spare us the BS concern abt process.

Based on data in Dave's Redistricting (again, slightly diff than ORC-used data) here are the seat counts in the Cupp's maps:

❌Just 32 D House seats above 50%

❌Just 10 D Sen seats above 50%

Ds - who've won 46% of our vote in the last decade - would get just 31% of the seats

Russo asked (justifiably) if Dems will be able to provide any changes or amendments to Cupp's maps.

Cupp essentially: Nope, we don't have enough time.

GOP stall tactics on full display at this point - delay, delay, delay and then say "we ran outta time"!

Cupp now suggesting GOP has moved incredibly quickly to get their work down, crowd whispers "bullshit" (me included tbh) because that is NOT what has happened at this point.

Cupp literally uploaded this map at 9:18pm TONIGHT and they're voting on it soon. Just outrageous.

Cupp suggests his map was drawn in public, crowd starts saying more loudly "Liar!" "No!" "That's bullshit"

AND I AM HERE FOR THIS!

Russo: This process and this motion/map is a complete farce. I have been handed spreadsheets with population deviations - nothing about partisanship - and a PDF of a map.

Russo now reading SCOhio opinion into the record.

SCOhio made clear that if JUST one party draws maps, it suggests a partisan attempt to gerrymandering.

That's why they told Comm'n to hire outside mappers and instructed maps to be drawn IN PUBLIC.

Rs just told the Court "pound sand." Again.

Russo: I am just embarrassed that this is what this Commission is about to do. Again. For a fourth time.

SAY THAT

Audience clapping

There are now 2 Highway Patrolmen in the room along with multiple sergeants at arms to, I guess, keep us unruly #FairMaps activists from...clapping...in the People's House while the GOP publicly undermines the power of our vote and of our democracy.

"This is another insult - not just to the Comm'n and to the Court, but to the people of Ohio."

Sen @DrVernonSykes

Audience member: "That's us."

Using 2016-2020 data (which Comm'n uses):

FOR SENATE

Dems would have just 9️⃣ safe seats (above 52%)

Dems would have 6️⃣ toss up seats (50-52%)

Rs would have ZERO toss ups and 18 safe seats above 52% R

FOR HOUSE (under Cupp maps using 2016-2020 data)

Dems would have just 2️⃣8️⃣ safe seats (above 52%)

Dems would have 1️⃣7️⃣ toss ups (50-52%)

Rs would get 54 safe seats and ZERO toss ups.

This is legit what SCOhio said was a NO GO! 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

Cupp's proposed maps still offer ZERO toss up seats for Rs and they stack Dems with 17 toss ups in the House and 6 toss ups in the Senate.

That is quite literally what the Court just told them was unconstitutional just TEN days ago.

https://twitter.com/JoshRultNews/status/1508624710556393472

Russo again asks if they can recess so Dems can actually look at the map and, perhaps, analyze its impacts on our communities, its constitutional compliance.

Huffman: We don't have enough time 🤷‍♀️

GOP play: Stall until the last min, claim you ran out of time, pass rigged maps.

Russo: You're asking us to vote for a map that was drawn in violation of a court order and that violates the constitution bc you don't want to give (the GOP-hired) outside mapper to allow him time to finish his work?!

GOP: 🤷‍♀️

Russo: I'd like each of the Comm'ners to tell us when they saw this map and when they knew the GOP's plan was to route the independent mappers' work to force their own map through.

Sykes: Just seeing this map.

Faber: I didn't see it before tonight, only knew once motion intro'd

DeWine: I just saw the map. Heard discussion about the plan sometime earlier today. (THE LEADER)

LaRose: Saw it when it was passed out tonight. I was willing to give this best effort, but SCOhio is to blame for giving us a short time frame.

MEANWHILE:

Troopers are kicking people out of the hearing room for reacting to the undermining of our democracy.

At most, people have said aloud one or two words at a time. We’ve also clapped. Just wild.

Russo and Sykes asking for a recess to let Johnson finish.

Sykes: "At some pt in this process, you just get tired of being mistreated. Again it's not just the Commners, it's the ppl of this state."

THANK YOU to Sen @DrVernonSykes and Leader @Russo4Ohio for defending democracy.

And a thank you to Rep. @EmiliaSykesOH for also standing strong for our democracy during the first phase of this process last year.

All along, Dems have shown up in good faith for the people of this state. Shame they've been sidelined by GOP's outrageous behavior.

Russo makes motion for recess and for AG's office to ask Court for 12-hour extension.

Huffman's objected to both motions.

Russo breaks into vote (which was interrupted by crowd shouting "shame") to ask for a recess so Dems can literally LOOK AT THE MAPS they're being forced to vote on. They got these an hour ago when the meeting started.

Huffman interjecting with timing needed to get maps done.