FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 7, 2020
PHOENIX – Former House and Senate Democratic Leaders Charlene Fernandez and David Bradley released the following statement on last week's dismissal of their lawsuit to strike two registered independents from the slate of five candidates for Chair of the next Independent Redistricting Commission. Thomas Loquvam, general counsel and vice president of corporate services at utility company EPCOR, is also a lobbyist, a line of work prohibited in the Arizona Constitution under voter-approved Proposition 106 that created the IRC in 2000. And Robert Wilson hosted a campaign rally for President Trump, as well as other Republican candidates, in the parking lot of his Flagstaff gun store in addition to pro-Republican social media posts.
"It is disappointing that the judge refused to look at evidence beyond the voter registration of Robert Wilson, who hosted a Trump rally in the parking lot of his gun store, and who has other clear ties to the Republican Party. The judge ignored the will of the voters by allowing Governor Ducey's stacked Commission on Appellate Court Appointments to provide unqualified and biased commission candidates. The purpose of the IRC is to be independent of partisan politics. That cannot be accomplished if the only unaffiliated member of the IRC is clearly partisan, like Robert Wilson. Or like Thomas Loquvam, who admitted he is a paid registered lobbyist with the Corporation Commission and therefore not qualified to serve in this role per the Arizona Constitution."
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