Peoria Standard

State Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) used the Oct. 14 House Redistricting Committee hearing in Springfield to criticize the process Democratic lawmakers have used to redraw legislative maps and he accused them of a lack of transparency.

"Anyone paying attention to this sees that this is continuing a pattern from the spring and it continues the pattern of ignoring what so many groups have testified to during the legislative maps and now for the congressional maps and sub-circuit maps," Butler said. "People want an open and transparent process where they know what is going on for at least two weeks and to do it in a transparent and open manner. … This continues the same process and theme that people are totally frustrated about when it comes to redistricting and it’s disappointing because it could be done so much better."

In September, Butler issued a statement in response to the House and Senate Democrats' announcement they would be relaunching a public portal to which Illinois residents can contribute their own legislative boundaries. 

“The sad truth is that this is just another attempt by Democrats to act like this is a free and fair process, but the facts have proven otherwise," Butler said. "The relaunching of a portal that included a multitude of malfunctions that went unaddressed by them before, I don’t expect much to be different this time around.”