Republicans File Lawsuits Concerning New Legislative Maps

The US Justice Department has approved the legislative maps drawn up by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. But on Friday, conservative Republicans  filed two lawsuits. The Payson Roundup reports that the filings ask for a three-judge federal panel to draw new congressional district lines next year and new state legislative district lines before the August elections.

The lawsuits claim that the Independent Redistricting Commission packed some districts with Republican voters to give Democrats an advantage in adjoining districts.

The Justice Department’s prompt approval of the maps means that this fall’s elections will take place in the new districts since courts probably won’t be able to act in time.

The Commission’s maps split Gila County in two and moved northern Gila County from a Flagstaff-dominated congressional District 1 to a western Arizona-dominated District 4. Incumbent Congressman Paul Gosar has moved from Flagstaff to Prescott to run in the new District 4.

Resolution Land Swap Passes Committee

A bill to clear the way for the Resolution Copper mine near Superior was approved yesterday (Wednesday) by the House Natural Resources Committee.

The Arizona Republic reports that the 26 to 19 vote was along party lines. The full House may vote on the measure before the August recess.

The bill would authorize a federal land exchange giving Resolution Copper about 2400 acres in the Oak Flats area of the Tonto National Forest in return for more than 5,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land around the state.

The bill’s sponsor is 1st District Representative Paul Gosar who is on the Natural Resources Committee. But another Arizona Repreesentative Raul Grijalva opposes the bill. He is also on the Natural Resources Committee. Grijalva says the bill threatens sacred Apache lands and could endanger the area’s water supply. Gosar says the mine would bring jobs and revenue to Arizona.