Local: Democrats manipulated California redistricting commission; ProPublica investigation reveals process was biased

◼ California's congressional Democrats ran a secret effort earlier this year to manipulate the work of the independent citizen panel that drew the state's new political districts, foiling the intent of reformers who sought to remove the redistricting process from the control of party bosses. - Times-Standard

Democrats met behind closed doors at the party's Washington, D.C., headquarters, hired consultants, drew their ideal districts and presented maps to the panel through proxies who never disclosed their party ties or “public interest” groups created specifically for the purpose. In many cases, the panel responded by doing just what the Democrats wanted.

The New York-based nonprofit investigative foundation ProPublica released findings last week from a months-long reconstruction of the Democrats' stealth redistricting strategy, relying on internal memos, emails, interviews and map analysis.

The success of the strategy has Democrats projecting they may pick up as many as seven congressional seats in 2012 under new district boundaries adopted last summer, far more than had been expected originally.

◼ Local officials respond to ProPublica investigation; analysis: Democrats manipulated state redistricting effort - Times-Standard

Representatives in Thompson's office said the congressman was traveling with family for the holidays and was unavailable for comment.

LaMalfa, a Republican and Butte County resident, said he was pleased to see the ProPublica investigation address some of the issues he'd seen during the redistricting process.

”It has someone else talking about the stuff many of us have been concerned with on the games that were being played behind the scenes on the new lines being drawn,” LaMalfa said. “The maps were compromised by outsiders.”

ProPublica's investigation revealed last week that Democrats allegedly hired consultants to present their ideas to the commission and that the consultants never disclosed their party affiliations or intent. LaMalfa said the Democrats made a blatant effort to influence the new district lines.

”The Republicans didn't actually place people on there and work hand-in-hand with them, inappropriately with them, on that,” LaMalfa said about the map creation process.