South Central Reporter

State Rep. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) is imploring Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Iris Martinez to face the facts in the simmering debate over map redistricting following a recent Senate Redistricting Committee hearing.

All eyes are now on the congressional redistricting process as Democrats continue to push to have a Republican district erased as part of a plan that ends with their majority being even more secured. Even as outrage about the process continues to grow, according to Week.com, Plummer argues the numbers of Illinois residents being heard on the issue are dwindling.

“You know the last round of hearings we had were basically boycotted by everyone in the state of Illinois essentially because no one trusts the committee, and they're kind of sick and tired of being fed false information, so I fully appreciate that you might trust the committee but really no one else does,” Plummer told Martinez during the Oct. 8 meeting. “So my question would be, not how much would you need, but since you've gone through this process in the past, what do you think is a reasonable amount of time between when maps are unveiled for the public to see and a vote would take place on the Senate?”

Martinez offered no definite timeline. "As a former legislator, I know how it is to work through this process in the past, and again, it's really up to the committee. I know that they’ve gone across the state when it came to meetings, and it’s a process. I have to respect the process and the committee to do its job," she said.

Republicans have blasted the process as a “dog and pony show,” accusing Democrats of purposely blocking people from participating in the remote setting gatherings. They also stressed the online mapmaking portal is “pointless” if people can’t log in to use it, Week.com reported.

Finally, GOP lawmakers are demanding that Committee Chair Omar Aquino (D-Chicago) reveal who is actually drawing the maps. Aquino says he doesn't know while insisting the process has been a transparent one.

State Rep. Steve McClure (R-Springfield) doesn’t see it that way.

“You have to be able to look at the map that they are working with so that you can critique it and present your own ideas instead of blindly having nothing to review,” he said. “And then they’re gonna drop a map, probably hours before we vote on it or the day before, the night before. It’s just not a transparent process and it’s bad for state government.”