LANSING — Today, new evidence of Republican efforts to gerrymander legislative districts in their favor during the 2011 redistricting process was exposed as part of an ongoing federal lawsuit. Emails exchanged between GOP aides and consultants during the redistricting process mention “the obvious objective” of grouping voters of color together as well as the desire to “cram ALL the Dem garbage” in isolated areas to ensure a majority. In response, House Democratic Leader Sam Singh (D-East Lansing) issued the following statement:
“Good government is meant to be of, by and for the people, yet today's revelations show clear evidence that Republicans and their wealthy donors spent the last decade rigging the rules to silence the voices of millions of Michigan voters. Michiganders, not wealthy special interest groups, deserve the freedom to choose their elected officials in an open and transparent manner. Now more than ever it is clear that the redistricting process should be put in the hands of the people, where it belongs.”