The State of Ohio
The State Of Ohio Show September 3, 2021
Season 21 Episode 35 | 26m 45sVideo has Closed Captions
COVID And Schools, New Voting Maps
COVID cases keep climbing, and schools are struggling with the impact. And the state’s new voter-approved process of drawing maps for elected lawmakers misses its first constitutional test, raising questions about what happens next.
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The State of Ohio is a local public television program presented by Ideastream
The State of Ohio
The State Of Ohio Show September 3, 2021
Season 21 Episode 35 | 26m 45sVideo has Closed Captions
COVID cases keep climbing, and schools are struggling with the impact. And the state’s new voter-approved process of drawing maps for elected lawmakers misses its first constitutional test, raising questions about what happens next.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship<font color=#AAAA00FF>Support for the state wide</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> broadcast of the state of Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>comes from medical mutual, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>providing more than one point</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> four million Ohioans</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>peace of mind with a selection</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of health insurance plans</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>online at Medmutual</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>dot com slash Ohio </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>by the law offices of Porter</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Wright, Morris and Arthur LLP.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Now, with eight locations</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> across the country,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Porter Wright is a legal</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> partner with a new perspective</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to the business community.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>More at Porter Wright dot</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> com and from the Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF></font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Education Association,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> representing 124000 members</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who worked to inspire</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> their students to think </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>creatively and experience </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the joy of learning online</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> at OHEA dot org,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Covid cases keep climbing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and schools are struggling</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with the impact.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And the state's new voter</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> approved process</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of drawing maps for elected </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>lawmakers misses</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> its first constitutional test,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>raising questions</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> about what happens next.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>All this weekend,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the state of Ohio.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Welcome to the state of Ohio.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I'm Karen Kasler.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>One in 500 residents of</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> 21 states is dead of COVID 19.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That list of states includes</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Ohio with nearly twenty</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>one thousand residents</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> who have died of Covid</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>since March twenty twenty.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And this week, that total</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> includes Republican former</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>state representative Doug</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Greene of Mount.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The Ohio Hospital Association</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> reports just two months ago</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>around Independence Day.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Covid hospitalizations</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> were in the low to hundreds,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and one in seventy</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> eight patients had Covid</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>every day this week.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There have been more</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> than two thousand one </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>hundred people in Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> hospitals with Covid, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with one in eight patients,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a Covid positive case.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>More than seven hundred and</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> fifty are in intensive care.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Over a thousand percent</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> increase from the sixty eight</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>ICU patients with Covid</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in Ohio on July 4th.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Last spring, teachers</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> were prioritized</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for vaccinations,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and there was a statewide </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>indoor mask mandate in place,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> which meant masks in schools.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So when school ended</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and summer started, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>it appeared Covid</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> was under control.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Now, case numbers are as high</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> as they were during</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>last winter surge, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and kids and school</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> workers are coming back </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>into those buildings.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And while there's been </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a lot of attention</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> on angry parents </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who oppose mass mandates </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in schools, there are many</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> who say they're frustrated</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and that the numbers show</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that masks are needed.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Statehouse correspondent</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Jo Ingles reports</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>back to school has</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> been rough for some,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>especially after a year of</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> occasional shut downs, hybrid</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>classes and virtual learning.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The Athens City School</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> District only had 18 the bare</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>minimum of bus drivers</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to start the year.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And then we just had a series</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of Covid related incidences.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So we now have five drivers</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that have tested positive</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for Covid and have a six</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who was identified</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> as a close contact and</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>it's required to quarantine.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So when you only have 18</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and you're down that many,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>it makes it difficult</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to provide transportation for students.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And given that we're a partly</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> rural district, we cover</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>about 90 square miles.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Not having enough busses</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to get students to</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and from school makes it </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>very difficult to have </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>schools open.
So we closed</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> schools for this week.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So has the Lebanon</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> City School District</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and the Fairfield</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Local School District,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>both in southwest</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Ohio recently closed</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the Sandusky city schools</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> has moved middle</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and high school students</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to remote learning.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Licking Valley High </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>School in central</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Ohio will also be online.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Other districts are reporting</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> high numbers of absences.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Nearly 7500 cases</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> among students and staff</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and many more thousands</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of kids in the state.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And quarantine kids under 12</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> cannot get Covid shots,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and only about a third</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of those between 12</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and 18 years old</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> have been vaccinated .</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Some districts have changed </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>their mass policies since</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the beginning of the year.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But Gov.
Mike DeWine</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> isn't changing his mind.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>He's adamant that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> he won't implement</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>another mask mandate.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There is not the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> appetite in this state today</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for that kind of a mandate.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We did it last year </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with schools.
It worked</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> very, very well.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There's not the appetite</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in this state to do that.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I do not effectively</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> have the ability to do that.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But what I do under a new law, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>if DeWine implements</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a massive mandate.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Republicans who dominate</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the legislature could and</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>likely would hold an immediate</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> vote to shut it down.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That leaves some parents </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>begging their school districts</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to implement mask policies.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And we have a board</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of education with no health</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>or medical professionals on it </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>making these decisions.
And they're</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> not deferring to the experts.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>They're saying trust us.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And a lot of doctors</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> are saying they feel like </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>their children are </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in an experiment</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and the experiments failing.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And Tipp City, several parents</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> are speaking out.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Lindsay Woodruff says kids</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> who have been exposed to Covid</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>are allowed to remain in class </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>while asymptomatic,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> but possibly contagious.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There are people</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> who just don't really think</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that this is any worse</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> than the common cold.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So maybe they are</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> sending their kids sick.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But I think really</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> what it comes down to is</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>people just don't realize how</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> contagious this of strain is.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so if their kid</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is exposed, they're</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>they're not taking it</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> seriously until their child </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>starts showing symptoms.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Carry our blaster says her</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> medically fragile 12 year</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>old son contracted Covid</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> at ATIP City School last week.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>You know, for the last several</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> years, any time that he gets</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>usually strep throat, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>he gets pretty bad with his</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> asthma, has to go on steroids.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Breathing treatments at home.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>He's spent several nights</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> at Dayton Children's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because of his asthma.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so with Covid,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that obviously is the biggest</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>concern, especially with </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the Delta variant,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that that's going </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to go straight into his lungs.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>When Nicollet winner </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>decided to put her two kids</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in the same schools earlier</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>this summer, she thought</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> they would be wearing mask.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>They have taken away every</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> single protocol except for</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a little hand sanitizer,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and that's about it.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I mean, they really don't </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>do much else.
We we do mask</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> on the busses, but that's it.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>My children do go to school</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> masked, but my youngest</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>is the only one in his room,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> teacher included, who masks.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And my oldest is partway</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> through vaccination.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>He should be wrapping</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that up hopefully next week.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But he's one of very</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> few who actually mask as well.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So masks are not required</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in any of our buildings.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>In fact, yesterday</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> my youngest told me that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>he saw a teacher tell students</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> who came in masks that,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>oh, you don't need to wear</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that, which is not appropriate</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because they're not old enough</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to be vaccinated yet.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Some schools have</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> been requiring their </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>students to wear</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> masks from the beginning,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>like the private school </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Denise Steeles daughter</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> attends in Columbus.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think it takes </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a layer of worry</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and complexity off the table.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I don't have to wonder </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>what's happening</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> on a day to day basis.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I don't have to be concerned</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> about teachers or faculty</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>or staff, other students.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I just know when I send her to</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> school with a ask every day,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that's what's going on</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> inside the building.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And there's an expectation </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that everybody's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> going to comply.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But some outspoken parents</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> don't want mask mandates</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in schools and are showing up</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> at the state house</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and at school board meetings</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> with their complaints,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>which have sometimes resulted</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in angry outbursts</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and shouting matches between</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> parents and board members.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>While school leaders are in</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a damned if they do, damned</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> if they don't situation,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Woodruff's 10 year</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> old daughter started school</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in the city public schools,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> but now she's back</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>at the private school</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> she attended last year.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It kind of all came</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to a head on Friday </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>afternoon when celebrate</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the first week of school.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>They were doing some team</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> building exercises outside</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that required her</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to make physical contact</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with their classmates,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> including holding </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>hands and letting others</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>draw on her back.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And she told the teachers,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> I don't feel safe.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I don't feel comfortable</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> doing this.
And they</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I mean, obviously, you can't</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> force a child to do anything.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But when you're an</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> authority figure, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>you don't feel safe</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> as a 10 year old</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to stand up to your teachers.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And she ended up </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I when I picked her up from school,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> she was in the middle of an anxiety attac</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because she did not</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> feel safe at school.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Pediatric doctors have said</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Covid hospitalizations</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>among kids are rising </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>with some children seriously</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> ill and even on ventilators.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And while the state's top doc,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Ohio Department of Health</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Director Bruce Vanderhoff, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>has stressed wearing mask</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> indoors and in schools,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>he stopped short of calling</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> on DeWine, his boss,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to attempt to put another</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> statewide mask mandate</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in place.
Joe Ingles,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Statehouse News Bureau.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>September 1st marked</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the constitutional deadline</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>by which lawmakers </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>on the panel that will draw </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the new maps for Ohio House</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and Senate districts</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>were supposed to vote on them</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> as part of the first time</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>use of the redistricting</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> process that voters</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>approved in twenty fifteen.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That deadline came </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and went not only without </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a vote, but without proposed</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> maps being released.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And there continue </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to be questions about who's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> drawing both those maps</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and the congressional map, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>especially since one</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> member of Ohio's </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>congressional delegation</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> will lose their job.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Statehouse correspondent</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Andy Chow reports.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>After 10 public input meetings</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> around the state</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>during which many members</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> were frequently missing,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the Ohio Redistricting </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Commission was in full </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>attendance for a meeting</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to set rules going forward.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Republican and Democratic </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>lawmakers say their </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>caucus staff are each</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> drawing up their own versions</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of state legislative maps.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The Senate Democrats unveiled </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>theirs for the 99 House</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> districts, a map of 54</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Republican favored districts</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and 45 Democratic.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That reflects the 2020 vote,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> which was a 53 percent</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to 45 percent split</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> with Donald Trump winning.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>By contrast, there are now </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>64 Republicans and 35</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Democrats in the House.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There have never been fewer</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> than 59 Republican</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>state Reps or more than 40</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Democrats in the House</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>since the current map</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> was put in place in 2012.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The Senate Democrats</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Senate map has 18</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Republican districts</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and 15 Democratic ones.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Some technical updates </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>had to be made to</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the initial map to reflect</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that Senate districts </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that aren't on next year's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> ballot are protected.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Currently, there are</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> 25 Republicans and</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>eight Democrats in the Senate.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The number of Republicans </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>has been growing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and Democrats dwindling</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>since the current map</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> was put in place in 2012</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>when there were 23 Republicans</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and 10 Democrats elected.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But there have been no maps</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> unveiled by House Democrats</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>or from majority</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Republicans at all.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>House Minority Leader</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Amelia Sykes raised</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the question of who is</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> drawing the maps</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that will eventually</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> be presented by the panel.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>What is the pleasure</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of this committee</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and in this commission?
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And putting forth</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a commission map </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>by which we can all talk about</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>are the members of the public</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> can communicate with</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>us about.
We heard</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>hours upon hours</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of testimony of people</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>asking and requesting</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for that transparency</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and the ability to</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> comment on the maps.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so I would like us</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to discuss at some point</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>or have an answer</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> before we leave today </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>as to when the commission </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>will put forth a map </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that people and members</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of the public can comment on.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>For Speaker Bob Kup said</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> because census data</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>didn't arrive until </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>mid-August, the maps are still</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> being developed.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think in this case,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> being careful and deliberate</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>is a virtue when</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> we're doing something</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>this significant,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> which will have an impact for</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>hopefully at least a decade.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Senate President</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Matt Huffman said he expects</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>all four caucuses</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> will present maps,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and the redistricting</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> commission has received </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>more than 40 submissions</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> from the public.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And the point here is </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that we're getting </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>away from the way</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> this was done in the past.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It won't simply be meeting</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> vote and it's over with.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>There will obviously be</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> considerable hearings on it.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And those hearings may change </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>what the commission wants</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to do in one way or another.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So I appreciate the effort</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> by the Senate Democrats.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And I'm you know, I think</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> this is the kind of discussion</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that Senator Psych's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and I anticipated when</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>we introduced this in 2014</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>after a lot of mentions</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of the census delay,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>talk of bipartisanship</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and explanations</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of the new process</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> by the other panel members.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Sykes again asked </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the question she'd already</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> posed several times.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I appreciate all of the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> commentary and the lectures</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and the responsibility.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think we all understand</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> our task at hand.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But the reality is</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> there is no map put forth</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>by the commission,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> which is required</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>by the Constitution </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that the minority party</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> members can vote yes or no on.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And my question still remains,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> at what point and</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>what is the process</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for us to do that?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think that deserves an </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>answer and a clear answer </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>while missing the </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>September 1st deadline</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> goes against the Constitution.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Jen Miller with the League </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of Women Voters of Ohio </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>said What's more</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> important is the process</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of drawing the maps.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Deadlines matter.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>What matters more is a solid</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> process that results in maps</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that serve the people.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>A 10 year map would require</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> both Democrats to vote yes,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>along with at least two</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of the five Republicans.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>If that can't be reached, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a four year map requires</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a simple majority vote.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>No announcements</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> have been made about.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The congressional map, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>which the state legislature </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>will draw and one</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> member of Congress will lose</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>their district stories </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of how Republicans created</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the congressional map in 2011</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>secretly in a hotel room</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in Columbus are a main reason</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>voters approved the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> change to the new process.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Andy Chow, Statehouse</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> News Bureau.
One</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>constant of those 10</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> redistricting meetings</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>was the presence</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of fair districts Ohio.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The group that worked </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for changes in the map</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> drawing process.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Its treasurer is longtime</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Republican officeholder</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and administrator Jeff Cabot.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think the reason that I am</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for fair districts is because</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I believe that our political</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> discourse has gotten more</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and more polarized.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think we are having on</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> both sides of the issue</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>more fringe control.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And I believe that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> safe districts where</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the district is not at risk </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in the general election,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> but only is in the primary,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>drives that further</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and further apart.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So I think it's bad on both </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>sides, and I think it's bad</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> on both parties.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Obviously, both parties</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> have participated in this.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And whenever they thought</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> they had the crayons,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>they were you know, it's </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>very difficult to</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> give up power and</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>an advantage.
So</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>but the voters of</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Ohio have spoken </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>clearly a couple of times</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> now, and I think they won</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>fair districts, competitive</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> districts, districts </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that are drawn not for</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> political purposes,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>but to keep communities</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of interest together.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>What do you think</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is necessary to make a map,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in your words, fair,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in your view, fair?
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So map drawing turns out to be</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a very difficult thing.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I am currently serving</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> as a member of the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Columbus City Council </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Council, Residential</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> District and Commission.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>They are putting together</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> first time ever maps</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for the city of Columbus,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> interestingly enough,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in twenty twenty three.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So.
So I think a fair map</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is one that basically ignores</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the politics, but tries</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to keep communities together.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Cities, villages,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> townships, counties,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the way Ohioans have</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> chosen to aggregate themselves</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and where they've chosen</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to live and make that be</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the regional poor districts</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that their representatives</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>are elected from.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We've heard mostly from</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Democrats who have been cerned</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>about the map drawing process </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because majority Republicans </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>control both the legislature</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and also the redistricting commission.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>You were a Republican.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Do you think that Republicans</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> do have the same concerns</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>or do you think that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Republicans should, as we've</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>heard from some Republicans, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>run the process because</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> they're the ones who won?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So the script, the scripts</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> can just be passed</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>back and forth, depending upon</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> which partizan charge.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Lieutenant now, Lieutenant</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Governor Jon Husted</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>had a very robust and</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think interesting</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> redistricting plan</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that died several years ago</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> because the Democrats expected</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that they were going to </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>get to draw the lines </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>next time and they weren't </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>going to give up</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that potential power.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Now, they did not</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> receive that power.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And so in hindsight, I </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>think perhaps Armond</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Budish and others</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>perhaps wish they had gone</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> along with the huge dead plan.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But again, they used to say,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I've been a Republican</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for a long, long time.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And they used to say people </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>run to the fringes in the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> primaries, in the center,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in the general election.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Well, they no longer </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>have to run to the center</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in the general election</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because all the districts are</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> stacked and packed and safe.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And as I said, both parties</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> have done the same thing.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>If we'd be if we're sitting</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in another state</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>having another conversation, we're just</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> substitute R for D and</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>exchange the scripts, the fair</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> districts or fair districts.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Ohio has a mapping competition</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> where people can submit</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a congressional map</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> by September 15th </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and could win a share of</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a thousand dollars in prizes.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Well, it's an interesting exercise</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and really can show people</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>how difficult the process </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>is to draw maps.
Does it</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> give people false hope?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I mean, the map of state</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> lawmakers will put in place</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>will almost certainly</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> be tipped toward </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Republicans.
It won't</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> be completely nonpartisan.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Well, any time you're </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>dealing with political </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>elections, there's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> nothing nonpartizan about it.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I mean, that's how</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the system works.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think there are </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>many other interesting </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>things that some of us</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> would like to consider.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Ranked choice voting</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is something that I'd like</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to think about sometime.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Maybe its day will come.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I don't know.
But</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> do you think people </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>should potentially lower</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> their expectations</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>about what they might see</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in a congressional map?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Because we go from 16</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> districts to 15,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>somebody is losing their job </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and it may not be the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> congressman that a person</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>wants or congresswoman </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that a person wants</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to see lose their job.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I don't think we should lower </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>our expectations</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> about government at all.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think we should have</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> high expectations </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>for our government</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and for them to do the job</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that we send them</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> there to do.
And</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>if if high expectations means</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>we're going to be</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> disappointed, then so be it.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But I think we should have</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> high expectations.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think we should have</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a bipartisan plan.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think we should</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> have a 10 year map.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And I hope that's what we get.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Among those who spoke out </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>at those redistricting</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> meetings is former Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Democratic Party</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> chair David Pepper, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who has been pushing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the redrawing of maps</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>as the most important public </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>matter that elected officials</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> will deal with this year.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It's a shocking level of </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>hypocrisy and just open</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> willingness to violate</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Ohio, the Ohio Constitution.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And these each of these people</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> took an oath to begin</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>this process, to </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>not just follow the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> constitution generally,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>but this particular process</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> had 70 percent of</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the voters approved </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>only a couple of years ago, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and they're just</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> egregiously violating it.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And by the way, the</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> excuse that, oh,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the census data came</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> late, that's nonsense.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>This is exactly what happened </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>10 years ago.
And we know this</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> because public records</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>requests were made.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The schedule was very</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> clear 10 years ago</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that they had the maps done</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> well in advance.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But the schedule said</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> very specifically</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that part of what</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> they need to do was hold</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the maps in the can</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> until the last minute.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That's what's happening.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>When you spoke to</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the redistricting commission</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>meeting in Cincinnati,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> you specifically asked</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>some members of the </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>commission, including State</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Auditor Keith Faber </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and Secretary of</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> State Frank Rose.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>If there had been</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> private meetings </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and reporters have asked</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> if there have been private</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>meetings, we'd been told that </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>there aren't any</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> private meetings </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>other than the caucus meeting</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to develop maps like the one</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>presented this week</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> by the Ohio Senate Democrats.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So do you have.
What</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> evidence do you have?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>What proof do you have </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that there are these</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> private meetings going on</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and that the process</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is not that much different</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>than it was in 2011, though </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>voters voted overwhelmingly</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to change it.
Right.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>So they're these</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> guys know better.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>You know, if there is one </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>person drawing a map,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> which they are doing.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We know that someone </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>is drawing a map</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in some room somewhere.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That's obviously happening.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> They've admitted it.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>They've said they have said </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Bob Coupet said they're </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>being very diligent,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> drawing that map.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>If that person is literally</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> briefing each member</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in separate meetings, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>but telling them, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>here's the map, here's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> what it looks like.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>All of that by the law</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> is a meeting together.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And you can't as a majority</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>do that behind closed doors</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> in Ohio that you know,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Keith Faber, again, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>when local governments do </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that, they say you're</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> violating the law.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But these guys are doing it</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for drawing the entire map</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of Ohio for 10 years.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It's it's egregious.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And I think if you </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>read closely, they're not even</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> denying it anymore.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>They they're you know,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> they want to make this</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>they just want to head down, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>get through it for as long as </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>they can, put the map out</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> there, get it done.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That's what they</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> did 10 years ago.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That's the training </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>they're given.
And there's </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>training programs</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> on how to do this.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>But at this point,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> they're not denying it.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>They're saying, yes,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> there's a map out there.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>We're being very careful.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The idea that there's</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> some person doing a map</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in, none of these guys</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> are actually being told</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>what it is, is ludicrous.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>One other thing I</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> said at that hearing, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a bunch of them never showed</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> up to the public meetings.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Well, that's because</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> that's not where </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>the work is being done</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and they know it.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The work is being done</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> on some computer</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>somewhere that they won't </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>tell us where and they're</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> being briefed clearly.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>It sounds like this is all</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> a setting up toward</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>a challenge in court</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to whatever maps are produced,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>because I think a lot </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of people, possibly </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>including you, are very suspicious</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of the maps that will come</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>out, will be overly partizan.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Is that the case?
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Is this a situation</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> where these maps,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>whatever's produced,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> will be challenged in court?</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And isn't that part of it?
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And won't that make things </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>worse?
Because it will delay</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the whole process </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>of getting things ready</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for next year's primaries</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and general election?
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Yeah, but the Ohio voting,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the Ohio voter spoke.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The language is clear </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that there is absolutely no</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>way that a hyper partizan map</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> should exist for next year.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And I believe and I have faith </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>in this Kernohan House Supreme</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Court, it's balanced court</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Chief Justice O'Connor voted </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>against the last</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> attempt to gerrymander.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>She lost that vote for three.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And there are far</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> more rules now than </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>there were 10 years ago.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And their actions,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> because of those rules,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>their actions, I think, are</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> far more clearly in violation.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Again, the language says</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the price, the map</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>should not be unduly partizan.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Everything they are doing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> right now is unduly partizan.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>If if those five are drawing</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> maps as one party</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and not including</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the other two, that alone</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>is unduly partizan.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>That is not how it's supposed</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> to work after this change.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>I think Frank LaRoche, </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Keith Faber, Mike DeWine</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> should be deposed.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>On what they knew</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and who is drawing what when.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Because all of that</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> will go to a process</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>that is unduly partizan.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The Ohio Redistricting</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Commission has said </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>it has until September </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>15th to adopt the map for Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> House and Senate districts.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>The congressional district map</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> deadline is September 30th,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and that's it for this week</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> for my colleagues </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>at the Statehouse</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> News Bureau of Ohio </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Public Radio and Television.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Thanks for watching.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Please check out our Web</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> site at State News dot org.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And you can follow us </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>and the show on Facebook</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> and Twitter.
Happy Labor Day.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>And please join us again next</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> time for the state of Ohio.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Support for the state wide </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>broadcast of the state of Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> comes from medical mutual.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Providing more than one point</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> four million Ohioans</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>peace of mind with a selection</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> of health insurance plans</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>online at Medd Mut.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>dot com slash Ohio </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>by the law offices of Porter</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> Wright, Morris and Arthur LLP.</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Now, with eight locations</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> across the country,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Porter Wright is a legal</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> partner with a new perspective</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>to the business community.
</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>More at Porter Wright dot</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> com and from the Ohio</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>Education Association,</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> representing 124000 members</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>who worked to inspire</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> their students to think </font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>creatively and experience</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF> the joy of learning</font> <font color=#AAAA00FF>online at OHEA dot org.</font>
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