McLean County Times

State Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) argues he didn’t need a recent court decision deeming legislative maps drawn by Democrats as unconstitutional to tell him Gov. J.B. Pritzker wasn’t putting the interest of the people first.

"Gov. Pritzker betrayed the people of Illinois when he broke his campaign promise and attempted to legitimize his party’s blatant grab for power,” Barickman said in a statement following the court’s decision. “Pritzker’s actions harmed countless Illinoisans, with the court acknowledging that states ‘do not receive a blank check to dilute votes.’ By the words of the three-judge court for the Northern District of Illinois, Pritzker’s plan violates the Equal Protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.”

Barickman recently told the Kankakee Times that the maps Democrats proposed are "a pile of trash." He points to Democrats’ desire to remain in control as being at the root of all the plotting.

“I was the Republican point person for redistricting, which has been a multi-month process that I think has rightfully left the public woefully dissatisfied,” he said. “It's the same old, same old – politicians drawing maps. The majority party is prioritizing their partisan gain at the expense of voters."

Barickman argues the way Democratic lawmakers were often huddled in a closed room with members of Pritzker's staff mapping the districts tells voters everything they need to know about the process.

“It's the old adage of a smoke-filled room protecting the interests of the incumbents at the expense of the public,” he told the Daily Leader. “They know in this day and age, redistricting can be done in a much more independent manner … at least an independent process that doesn't have politicians picking voters and drawing districts to serve their partisan interests.”

Barickman is finding solace in his belief that the majority of voters are aligned with him and other GOP lawmakers in the debate.

“It is encouraging that the court came to the same conclusion that so many Illinoisans and good government groups did, that this map, based on seriously inaccurate data and partisan intentions, was unconstitutional,” he said.