The real redistricting scandal
by David King at San Diego News Room
Republished with permission
Link to the original content at SDNR
Many have asked the simple question: “What is wrong with our government today?” Although the list is long, for years I have been of the mind that manipulation of our legislative districts is the prime culprit—the reason “safe” legislators have no incentive to listen to their constituents.
When we first launched San Diego Newsroom in 2008, I weighed in on our redistricting woes from a statewide perspective. Former City Attorney John Witt helped us launch sharing a piece on his biggest beef—the politicization of city government.
Although manipulation of redistricting is not new, but is pervasive and nation-wide, San Diego is rarely outdone when it comes to screwing the pooch. Forever on the short-bus when it comes to our political system, the recent appointment of the Redistricting Commission and the selection of its 24-year-old partisan Chief of Staff exemplify both scourges upon our city government and politics.
Some functions of city government are not tainted by partisan politics, such as getting plans approved to remodel a house. Other actions of city officials from the City Clerk to the Ethics Commission are tainted by partisan politics. The drawing of council district lines is most certainly a partisan political magnet.
Citizens of San Diego who would volunteer their time and subject themselves to public scrutiny and gymnasiums packed with angry mobs can only be expected to be politically-motivated. The city of San Diego’s appointment standard of “individuals with a demonstrated capacity to serve with impartiality in a non-partisan role” was conceived in fantasy land. Rather than taking a “head-in-the-sand” approach, the city would do better to adopt a rule that embraces partisan political reality like the state’s selection approach:
The leaders of the Legislature [the majority and minority leaders of the State Assembly and Senate] could strike up to 24 of these [60] names. From the remaining [24] names, the State Auditor would then randomly draw the first eight commissioners. These eight commissioners would select the final six commissioners. The commission would have five members registered with each of the state’s two largest parties (Democrat and Republican) and four members registered with other parties or as independent voters.
The process of appointing our current Redistricting Commission was remarkably poor. The selection of a 24 year-old partisan to be its Chief of Staff is disgraceful.
The partisan background of several board members has been bandied about. “I’m shocked, shocked to hear that gambling is going on in here!”
What is comical is that while the City Charter requires Commission members who demonstrate an ability to be non-partisan and impartial, but the application to be a Commissioner included absolutely no requirement to report party registration or political activities. Wouldn’t it seem helpful to ask applicants about their political activities to determine whether they are too partisan to serve on the Commission?
This was not an instance of justice being blind. This was a political appointment process, which was destined to be blind, deaf and dumb.
City law required the selection of Commissioners by a panel of three retired judges. Judge Patricia Yim Cowett was ill and unable to attend, leaving a committee of two. Most graduates of pre-school recognize the unavoidable flaws of a two-person decision making process, but retired Judges Jim Milliken and William Howatt were unable to postpone the appointment hearing, find an alternate, or otherwise uphold the obvious purpose of requiring three decision-makers.
The two Judges selected the Commissioners through a succession of written ballots, with any applicant receiving two votes being appointed to the Commission. Attorney Fred Kosmo was selected in the fourth round.
In the first round, Judge Howatt voted for Kosmo, but Judge Milliken did not.
In round two, Kosmo received Judge Milliken’s vote, but not Howatt’s.
In round three, Kosmo reclaimed Judge Howatt’s support, but lost Milliken’s.
Finally in round four, Kozmo received two votes. San Diego government television feature presentation…The Two Stooges.
The Judges wound up selecting several individuals who are obvious partisans—obvious to those of us who follow local politics—many using the same mail-merged package of recommendation letters from groups known to be active in local politics. Based on the process and the outcome, the Judges would have done better to walk over to Johnny Brown’s, grab a pitcher of beer, and select by throwing darts at the list.
Appointment processes will always be subject to human error, but the failure to solicit any information regarding applicants’ political activities is inexcusable. The Judges’ willingness to proceed with a committee of two was downright foolish.
The real scandal is the appointment of Midori Wong as the full time chief executive, two years and six months after she earned her bachelor’s degree.
Journalists who have failed to grasp or even belittled the significance of Wong’s appointment betray their ignorance. Ms. Wong’s daily efforts will be more important to the redistricting process than the periodic hearings of the individual Commissioners.
I know what it means to serve on a commission—it means you are a volunteer “weekend warrior” in an area of public importance, and you must be able to rely heavily upon your staff. When I served as Chairman of the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the most important action we took was to select David Gibson to succeed John Robertus as the new Executive Officer.
Gibson is so smart he sounds like HAL the computer from 2001 Space Odyssey. He had spent two decades working in the field of water pollution and advanced up the ranks at the board earning the respect of his peers and local government officials. Every hair on his head is grey. He was the most qualified applicant for the job, and his selection was not based upon his positions on any specific issues.
Midori Wong is too young to remember Brett Farve playing for the Packers. Worse, even at her young age, she has already established strong partisan political ties which disqualify her from this position. According to the Commission bylaws its Chief of Staff must meet this standard:
Highly ethical and objective, with the ability to navigate in a political environment without being political, and serve in an unbiased and impartial way.
Her selection is scandalous because unlike applicants for the Commission who need not disclose their partisan activities, Midiri Wong fully disclosed to the Redistricting Commission that she was an “Advisory Board Member and former Fellow” of “New Leaders Council“—a distinguished group of future political progressives. Her resume shows that she worked for Democratic Assemblymember Helen Thomson, and the public record shows that her own mother is a Democrat in the State Assembly. She is qualified for a staff job with the DNC, but not Chief of Staff of the body that will redraw San Diego’s council districts and create a new, ninth district.
Her appointment to be Chief of Staff was shameless.
Her resume also reflects that she graduated from college and took her first real job in June and July of 2008—landing a good job as a planner with SANDAG. However, over her future career this single, outrageous appointment to such a crucial position, pivotal to the future of a city government already struggling to regain the public’s respect—this premature promotion will benefit her career less than Monica Lewinsky’s position in the White House. Her partisan friends did her no favors.
Commendations go to Dave Potter and Theresa Quiroz for voting against her selection. Curiously, Theresa Quiroz, derided as a partisan with support of groups like Empower San Diego, voted against Wong. KUSI reported that Wong’s selection was pushed by Carlos Marquez, another Commissioner who was endorsed by Empower San Diego.
No matter how interesting a cat fight went on behind the scenes, the whole process of redrawing San Diego’s council districts has been reduced to another San Diego circus. None of the Commissioners will ever be able to justify the selection of Midori Wong as the Chief of Staff. No matter how diligent, fair or accurate their efforts, all of the work of the Redistricting Commission will be forever tarnished by the selection of Ms. Wong.
Ms. Wong appears to be a bright, attractive, young woman with a promising future as a progressive politician. The best thing she can do for herself, for the Redistricting Commission and for the city of San Diego is to resign from her position.
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Thanks again to Mr. King at SDNR.