SALT LAKE CITY — No sooner had a judge selected a congressional map that could create a new Democratic district in Utah than some on the other side of the political aisle instantly called for her to be impeached.
In her decision announced late Monday, Third District Judge Dianna Gibson rejected a map put forth by the Utah State Legislature, governed by a Republican majority, and instead chose a map submitted by plaintiffs that Gibson claimed did not favor a political party.
In the minutes after the ruling, Rep. Matt MacPherson (R-West Valley City) took to social media, accusing Gibson of a "gross abuse of power," and claimed to have opened a bill to impeach the judge.
During a media conference on Tuesday, the plaintiffs who filed the lawsuit leading to Gibson's decision questioned whether the immediate GOP response was merely sour grapes and would go no further than simple threats.
"I hope that they are merely the initial throes of disappointment of the legislature being disappointed that they've lost, and not something that they would actually pursue as a form of political reprisal because that would be damaging to our democracy," said attorney David Reymann, who represented the Utah League of Women Voters in the lawsuit.
Politics
National, local reaction falls along partisan lines over redistricting ruling
Reymann added that MacPherson's threats were "irresponsible and unfortunate," and said Gibson was living up to her sworn obligation as a judge.
"The court's role is to interpret the Constitution and decide whether what the legislature has done complies with it. And just because [Republicans] disagree with what she has ruled does not mean that she is violating the Constitution," he said.
Kathy Biele, who serves as President of the League of Women Voters, admitted to be stunned by the GOP reaction.
"This is unbelievable," Biele said at the press conference. "She's not doing anything that she shouldn't do. This came from the Supreme Court of Utah. I will say Article 1, Section 2 gives the people the right to change their form of government, which is just exactly what we did."
