Redistricting panel to weigh legality of commissioner's new gig
Michigan's redistricting commission will meet later this month to discuss whether one of its commissioner's met constitutional and code of conduct requirements when he took a job with a nonprofit organization that had lobbied the commission during its work drawing maps for congressional and legislative districts.
Doug Clark, chairman for the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, said the group was gathering information and opinions from legal counsel ahead of a July 20 meeting where they would discuss Commissioner Anthony Eid's new job as deputy director of Michigan Voices. At least two commissioners, Rebecca Szetela and Rhonda Lange, had requested a review of the appointment.
"We’re currently still getting facts," Clark said Monday. "We’ve got a couple more folks to talk to. We should have that wrapped up by the end of next week.”
The 13-member commission concluded its work drawing maps more than a year and a half ago, but currently is engaged in litigation that could require the commission to come back and redraw the maps.
Commissioners are continuing to draw a paycheck of about $39,825 annually, or about 25% of the governor's salary, a year and a half after the maps were completed in December 2021.
Eid, in a statement read at a press conference Monday, said he didn't have any contact in any form with Michigan Voices outside of public meetings during the redistricting process.
"He did not have any relationship with them prior to applying for his new position, which he applied for over a year and a half after maps were voted into law," said Edward Woods, executive director for the redistricting commission.
Michigan Voices is a nonprofit that has helped with liberal causes in the past, such as signature collection for the pro-abortion constitutional amendment on last year’s ballot. Szetela described the group last month as a “progressive organization" and voiced concerns about how Eid's role would come into question should the maps need to be redrawn.
Eid is one of five individuals on the commission who registered as a nonpartisan member. Michigan Voices announced Eid’s new position with the group in mid-June, citing his “experience in policy, voting rights, redistricting…and care for people experiencing housing insecurity.”
Michigan Voices was one of several groups in 2021 that lobbied the redistricting commission during public comment for certain changes “right up until they approved the final maps,” according to the group’s website.
“On multiple occasions, the MICRC changed course and edited their maps in real-time, directly impacted by our partners’ public comments,” Michigan Voices said on its website. Woods on Monday said the commission did not sign off on that statement.
Clark initially said Michigan Voices had "no involvement" in the map-making process outside of regular public comment.
But Woods said Michigan Voices was one of several groups the commission "reached out to" as it was drafting maps, was recognized by the commission in April 2022 for its involvement in the mapmaking process and helped organize town halls for the redistricting commission.
But, Woods said, "they had no direct, preferential influence."
"They were instrumental in recruiting groups and individuals to be a part of participating in the engagement process of helping the commission to draw fair maps with citizen input," Woods said.
Commissioners are likely to review whether Eid's job complies with constitutional requirements as well as the group's self-developed code of conduct.
The code of conduct includes a conflict of interest policy adopted in May 2021 that requires any conflicts to be "disclosed, evaluated, and, if found to be substantial or material, eliminated or managed" by abstaining from votes, severing the relationship related to the conflict or placing decision-making with a "non-conflicted agent."
A conflict of interest is defined as an interest that compromises an individual's judgement in relation to the commission, biases the direction of the commission, influences decisions or behavior or results in a personal gain arising out of redistricting business.
Eid said last month he's following the 2018 constitutional amendment that created the citizen-run redistricting commission, taking the power of drawing new boundaries for the Legislature and Congress out of the hands of state lawmakers.
"Nowhere in the Michigan constitution does it say a commissioner cannot have employment from a non-partisan, nonprofit community organization,” Eid told The News.
eleblanc@detroitnews.com