By Colton McAllister, Politics Reporter

For weeks, Governor Gavin Newsom and Democratic leaders in the Legislature have insisted their push for new congressional districts is about “saving democracy.” But on Tuesday, as hearings unfolded at the State Capitol, lawmakers struggled to answer a basic question: who actually drew the maps?

During a hearing before the Senate and Assembly Elections Committees, leaders repeatedly dodged when pressed by reporters. Senate Elections Chair Sabrina Cervantes (D–Riverside) insisted the process was “the most transparent,” but declined to say whether lawmakers themselves were involved. Assembly Elections Chair Gail Pellerin (D–Santa Cruz) compared the maps to a restaurant meal, saying, “When I go to a restaurant, I don’t need to meet the chef, I just enjoy the food.”

The refusal to identify who authored the maps comes after KCRA reported they were prepared by Democratic members of California’s congressional delegation and their consultants, including political data strategist Paul Mitchell, before being slightly revised behind closed doors.

Critics say the lack of transparency undermines the governor’s repeated claims that the redistricting plan is about protecting democracy. It also echoes past controversies:

• In 2019, Newsom signed legislation that would have kept Donald Trump off California’s ballot, a move later struck down in court.
• The state’s Attorney General routinely writes titles and summaries for ballot measures — language that opponents argue tilts in favor of Democratic positions.
• During COVID, Newsom faced lawsuits for banning in-person church services and shuttering small businesses, orders later deemed unconstitutional.

Now, with Proposition 50 heading to the ballot this fall, critics argue voters are being asked to approve gerrymandered maps without knowing who designed them — an arrangement more common in a banana republic than the birthplace of modern direct democracy.

Sheriff Chad Bianco of Riverside County, who fought Newsom in court during the pandemic, called the redistricting plan another example of the governor’s double standard: “Dictator Gavin Newsom believes he has to destroy democracy in order to save it.”

With public trust in government already eroding, unanswered questions about the maps may prove more damaging than the maps themselves.