http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_2768e13c-18fd-11e0-961b-001cc4c002e0.htmRepublicans who took control of the state Legislature this week are hiring lawyers to help draw new political boundaries, but they don't plan on letting Democrats hire their own.
Now Democratic lawmakers are accusing the GOP of a power grab aimed at giving them control of the state for years to come. The maps, drawn by legislators every 10 years, are crucial because whoever gets to draw them could carve out boundary lines to give one party long-term advantage over another in elections.
"This is not what the people of Wisconsin want, this is not the bipartisanship that we've been trying to work on," said Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha.
Barca and Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller, D-Monona, sent a letter to Republican leaders Wednesday accusing Republicans of trying to "gerrymander legislative districts" and urging them to reconsider the move.
Barca, Miller and other Democrats say Republican plans to hire two firms, Michael Best and Friedrich and Troupis Law Office, show they hope to reward conservative attorneys by steering work their way — and plan to pay for it with millions of dollars in taxpayers' money.l