Press Release:
September 15, 2001

September 15, 2001, San Francisco –

Every ten years, based on the census, we redraw our political boundaries, including congressional, state senate, and assembly boundaries. And every ten years, there are charges of gerrymandering, partisan favoritism, payback, and charges of racism, sexism, and cronyism. But this decade, we have come to a new low, as there was no partisan debate or charges. The legislator had a new idea – draw boundaries that protect the incumbent rather than offer true representation for the people. And let the incumbent buy those boundaries.

Michael Berman, a political consultant, was hired to draft the congressional boundaries. Any democrat congressional representative that paid him $20,000 was ensured favorable boundaries. All but two of the California congressional delegation paid him. Said Representative Loretta Sanchez of California to the Orange County Register, “Twenty thousand is nothing to keep your seat. I spend $2 million every election. If my colleagues are smart, they’ll pay their $20,000 and Michael will draw the district they can win in.”

In light of this past weeks attack on both the United States and democracy, this un-democratic act of buying political boundaries is disgraceful.

For more information on Paul McConnell for Congress, please visit paulmcconnell2002.com.

Contact: Perry Ruthven
McConnell for Congress
PO Box 470494 San Francisco, CA 94147
Phone: 415-928-4902
Fax: 415-480-1301
pruthven@paulmcconnell2002

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