Brewer's actions threw the state’s once-in-a-decade redistricting process into chaos. Ariz. court rebuffs Brewer on map

The Arizona Supreme Court ruled Thursday evening that Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer had illegally impeached the state’s top redistricting official, a blow to Republicans who had sought to overturn the state’s line-drawing process.

With the decision, the court reinstated Colleen Mathis, the chairwoman of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, who had been tasked with overseeing the state’s congressional remap. The court ruled she had not demonstrated “substantial neglect of duty, gross misconduct in office, or inability to discharge the duties of office.”


Earlier this month, Brewer instigated the impeachment of Mathis, a move that set off a legal scramble and threw the state’s once-in-a-decade redistricting process into chaos. Mathis was removed from her post in a party-line vote in the state Senate.

Republicans — led by Brewer — had argued that Mathis had willfully skirted protocol in drafting the congressional lines, including rules that the commission must hold all its negotiations in public meetings, that had been established when voters approved the redistricting commission more than a decade ago.

The GOP also argued that Mathis drafted a map with an eye toward favoring Democrats. Under the plan, which had yet to be finalized in a committee vote, Democrats would have been well-positioned to compete for a majority of the state’s nine districts. Two freshmen Republicans — Reps. David Schweikert and Ben Quayle — would have been forced into a face-off and a third, Rep. Paul Gosar, would find himself in a less GOP-friendly district. The map would have also created a newly-drawn, safe district for Democrats.

The lawsuit had been filed by the commission, which argued that Brewer had improperly meddled in the business of an independent body. The commission is composed of Mathis, a registered independent, and two Democrats and two Republicans.

Had the court ruled in favor of Brewer, a commission on appellate court nominations would have had to appoint a new redistricting chair and perhaps force the panel to draft a new map.

With Mathis reinstated, the commission will be free to vote on its congressional plan.