Georgia GOP, Dems argue over redistricting effort

[The Northerner]

ATLANTA -- Partisan bickering erupted over redistricting on Thursday as Republican leaders created a new legislative office and tapped a prominent GOP lawyer to advise the effort.

Democrats complained they'd been left out of the decision-making and worried Republicans could be politicizing the process, in which new Census data is used to redraw congressional and legislative lines.

"That they did not include Democrats in this decision raises some serious questions about transparency and accountability," House Democratic leader Stacey Abrams said.

Senate Democratic Leader Robert Brown said he repeatedly raised questions about the plan for redistricting but got vague responses from GOP leaders. He said Thursday's news was "very much a surprise."

"It's obviously not nonpartisan," Brown said. "I don't know what this is. I've heard rumor after rumor about redistricting. We're not a part of this process."

Read more: http://www.macon.com/2011/02/03/1434788/legislature-creates-redistricting.html#