Colorado AG Phil Weiser on Fighting Gerrymandering and Threats to the Rule of Law

Redistricting and Midcycle Gerrymandering

• 🎯 Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser advocates for an exception in Colorado's state constitution to allow for midcycle redistricting.
• 💡 This is a response to Republican-led efforts in other states to engage in midcycle redistricting, which Weiser argues creates an unfair advantage.
• ⚠️ Colorado's current constitution only allows for redistricting once a decade, and any constitutional changes would not take effect until after the 2026 election, impacting the 2028 cycle.
• ⚖️ Weiser believes that if other states engage in this behavior, Colorado must be willing to do its part to ensure fairness and not enable such actions.

Counteracting Republican Gerrymandering Tactics

• 🚀 Weiser praises actions by figures like Gavin Newsom in California for pushing to negate what Texas is doing in redistricting.
• 💬 He emphasizes the need to live in the "real world" and respond to actions that allow other states to gain an unfair advantage.
• 🤝 The goal is to send a message that engaging in midcycle redistricting will be met with a similar response, potentially leading to a mutual cessation of such tactics.
• 🧐 Weiser criticizes Republicans who decry gerrymandering after it has been initiated by their own party, likening it to an orphan pleading for mercy after committing a crime.

Threats to the Rule of Law and Democratic Republic

• 🏛️ Weiser expresses frustration that the rule of law and democratic principles have become partisan issues.
• 🚨 He highlights three core threats to the republic: illegal troop deployments into cities without legal basis, attacks on freedom of speech, and selective prosecutions.
• ⚖️ The Supreme Court is a critical watch list, with cases concerning federalizing the National Guard, birthright citizenship, and the independence of the Federal Reserve.
• ⚠️ Weiser warns that if the Supreme Court does not uphold the Constitution and the law, it poses a significant danger to the republic and could set a precedent for unchecked executive power.

Citizen Action and Defending the Republic

• 🗣️ Weiser stresses the importance of citizens using their voice, showing up at rallies, and making their representatives hear them.
• ✊ He calls for popular pressure to defend the republic and the rule of law, referencing Ben Franklin's quote, "a republic, if you can keep it."
• 📢 He encourages support for campaigns like his own, which are fighting for the republic and meeting the moment.
• 🗳️ The 2026 election is identified as a critical moment for the nation, with a call to action for citizens to get involved and support those who will defend democratic principles.