From Fair Districts PA (http://www.fairdistrictspa.com):
NOTE: The Council joins with Fair Districts PA.
It is with a heavy heart that Fair Districts PA is withdrawing its support for Senate Bill 22. Yesterday on the Senate floor, SB 22 was cynically hijacked by majority leaders. The Senate was meeting to discuss and vote on amendments. Two amendments passed: one that strengthened SB 22 and increased its bipartisan appeal, and one that turned SB 22 into a deeply partisan poison pill – or a Trojan Horse, depending on one’s perspective.
The omnibus amendment that FDPA and its good-government allies patiently negotiated with Senator Folmer passed with a vote of 48 to 1. This represented a win for advocates, who had been asking their senators to strengthen SB 22 by fortifying checks and balances, and safeguards against partisan manipulation.
Immediately after passage of the omnibus amendment, Senator Aument offered an amendment that would use SB 22 as a vehicle to create regional judicial elections. This is a highly controversial and divisive topic. With approval from Senate leaders, it passed along party lines with a vote of 31 to 18. Only two Republicans courageously voted against it: Folmer and Rafferty.
Yesterday’s maneuver underscores Senate leaders’ deep disregard for advocates who are eager for bipartisan redistricting reform – including thousands of their own constituents. We are outraged, but not defeated. We will take our case to the House, and from there, to the polls, where every single representative faces re-election in the fall.
Actions you can take today
Contact Senators Aument, Corman and Scarnati, as well as your own GOP senators. Make clear your own heartfelt disappointment with their maneuver.
- Sen. Aument: (717) 787-4420, email
- Sen. Corman (Majority Leader): (717) 787-1377, email
- Sen. Scarnati (President Pro Tem): (717) 787-7084, jscarnati@pasen.gov
Contact Senators Folmer, Rafferty and Costa. Thank them for standing up for an independent citizens redistricting commission with strict rules for fairness and transparency.
- Sen. Folmer: (717) 787-5708, mfolmer@pasen.gov
- Sen. Rafferty: (717) 787-1398, jrafferty@pasen.gov
- Sen. Costa: (717) 787-7683, costa@pasenate.com
Call your representatives. Share your expectations for them to support and pass a clean, strong, bipartisan redistricting reform bill without delay. Find contact information: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/index.cfm#address
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