Remap hearing raucous
400 angry Democrats voice fear of minority disenfranchisement
06/29/2003
Shouting, name-calling and some unmentionable actions were the order of the day Saturday as more than 400 angry Democrats and a much smaller – but just as cranky – group of Republicans voiced opinions on a GOP-driven congressional redistricting plan.
The testy daylong public hearing in Dallas came two days before the special legislative session on redistricting starts Monday in Austin. About 300 people had signed up to speak at Saturday's hearing.
Republicans contend that a redrawing of voting maps is necessary to reflect the GOP tilt in Texas. But Democrats call the action a blatant and unnecessary power grab that would disenfranchise minorities. They say the process is being driven by U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land.
Democrats' high emotions made for a charged atmosphere.
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About 250 of the Democrats arrived at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas for the meeting on buses from Fort Worth, Waco and other cities. Someone blew up an 8-foot plastic rodent called "Rick the Rat." One man walked around in a Star Wars costume calling himself Darth DeLay. Participants were mocked with homemade sock puppets.
"I've been to a lot of redistricting hearings," said Dallas lawyer Ken Molberg. "I've never seen anything quite like this."
Democrats said they have a lot to be mad about.
"It's life or death for us," testified U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas. "We wouldn't have a decent quality of life if we elected all Republicans. All you would have is a lot of talk, and you would still have a government controlled by corporations."
Ms. Johnson and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, are the only two black Texans in Congress.
Democrats have a 17-15 majority in the Texas congressional delegation. Supporters of the GOP redistricting plan say it would increase the number of Texas Republicans in Congress to up to 20.
Nate Crain, chairman of the Dallas County Republican Party, said the districts should reflect the voting patterns of Texans, drawing fire from Democrats who said the maps should reflect the results of the 2000 census, not just voters.
"The current congressional lines have been placed to create super Republican districts, thereby artificially creating a large number of Democratic districts and minimizing the number of Republican seats," Mr. Crain said. "This gerrymandering should not be ignored, and the Texas Legislature should take up this issue."
Ron Baselice / DMN "We wouldn't have a decent quality of life if we elected all Republicans," said U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas. |
Other Republicans dismissed claims that redistricting will disenfranchise voters.
"It's disingenuous to imply that this process takes away the voting rights of anyone," said state Rep. Fred Hill, R-Richardson. "The job is to draw districts that are compact and represent the people of the state of Texas."
Under the plan proposed by Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, the congressional district of Rep. Martin Frost, D-Arlington, would be sliced into four pieces.
Mr. Frost would lose heavily minority areas in southern Dallas and Tarrant counties.
He would pick up Republican-leaning northern suburbs in Dallas and Fort Worth.
"Let's be clear what the Republicans are trying to do here," Mr. Frost said. "What the Republicans want to do is draw a circle around as many of those minority voters and put them in Eddie Bernice Johnson's district."
Mr. Frost is one of several senior Democrats across the state affected by the remap effort.
The Dallas hearing was one of several held last week across Texas. It got off to a raucous start, not unlike one in Brownsville that was stalled by Democrats on Thursday.
Rep. Richard Raymond, D-Laredo, asked state Rep. Ken Marchant, R-Coppell, to step down as chairman of the subcommittee because the remap – specifically the redrawing of the Frost district – would play to his potential run for Congress.
"I won't be involved in drawing that map, but you will be, Mr. Chairman, and it's a clear conflict," Mr. Raymond said.
The mostly Democratic audience joined the fray.
"Give it up. Give it up," the crowd shouted. "Shut up and let him talk," others responded.
Mr. Marchant refused to pass the gavel and did not respond to assertions that he was interested in changing and running in a reformed District 24.
"I was appointed chairman and I intend to chair this meeting," Mr. Marchant said.
After more than 40 minutes of jeers, shouts and sporadic debate, the first witness was called.
E-mail gjeffers@dallasnews.com
Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/stories/062903dnmetredistricting.c9281.html
