With the recent ruling by 3rd District Court Judge Dianna Gibson, our government is working as it should, supporting the voice of the people within the constraints of the law. Unfortunately our Utah Legislature once again cannot accept this fact and has accused Judge Gibson of judicial activism.
In 2018 voters passed an initiative to ban gerrymandering. Rather than honor the will of the people, the Legislature chose to honor their own political will. They threw out the initiative and redrew their own partisan boundaries. Is this legislative activism? Defying the will of the people by doing what they feel is best?
As typical of the Utah Legislature, Sen. Daniel McCay has interpreted the Utah Constitution to fit his views. However, the 2008 constitutional provision does not give the Legislature sole authority, nor does it exclude the public from exercising their “co-equal legislative power” guaranteed by the Constitution.
Judge Gibson was nominated by a Republican governor, vetted, and approved by the Senate and Judicial Confirmation Committee. The Legislature is retaliating against Judge Gibson because they didn’t get their way. Doesn’t this sound similar to what just happened to our public school teachers?
The Legislature cannot accept the fact they didn’t get their way in a heavily Republican state.
This isn’t judicial activism, it’s government at work the way it should be. You win some, you lose some. Accept this and move on.
Andrea Orton, Cottonwood Heights
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