Political Leaders React To Redistricting Ruling

After the the commonwealth’s Reapportionment Commission’s redistricting plan, which included moving Haverford Township’s 1st and 9th wards from the 166th district to the 163rd district, has created a political upheaval.

State Rep. Greg Vitali (D-166), who has long been against having his district move to State Rep. Nick Micozzie’s (R-163) district, was happy with the ruling.

“It’s nice to know that when you take on uphill battles that sometimes you can win a few,” Vitali told the Haverford-Havertown Patch in a phone interview.

Vitali said that attorney Eric Ring is working pro bono on the case as he brought it up to the state Supreme Court to appeal the redistricting plan earlier this week.

But Vitali has been critical of the plan, saying that it was a political move and violated the state’s constitution.

“It was improper to take most of the Republicans (voters) in Haverford Township and move them to State Rep. Micozzie’s district,” he said. 

But it was not a political move, according to Majority Leader Sen. Dominic Pileggi (R-9), who is a member of the Reapportionment Commission. 

Through his Communications and Policy Director Erik Arneson, Pileggi stated in an email that, “The commission’s plan was approved with a bipartisan vote—both the Democratic House Leader and the Republican House Leader voted yes.”

In a statement through his Facebook page, Pileggi called the court’s ruling “uncharted territory.” 

“This is uncharted territory, and at this point the court has not provided the information needed for the Legislative Reapportionment Commission to fully understand how to proceed,” he wrote. “As a member of the Commission, I will do everything in my power to ensure that a redistricting plan for the General Assembly is enacted as promptly as possible when the court releases its opinion.” 

Vitali said that right now, “everything is up in the air” as many are waiting to hear the court’s opinion if it will decide to have the commission recreate a new plan or leave the district as it is.

In a phone interview with Patch, Ring, a Havertown lawyer, predicted he felt that the township will be kept “intact” for the next two years, but admitted that like everyone else, he is waiting to hear the court’s opinion on the matter. 

“I’m doing this not just for keeping the current political makeup intact, but if (the township) is split, it would be hard to get it back together again,” Ring said, explaining why he is working the case pro bono. He said Vitali asked him to file a petition against the redistricting plan and Ring is representing a register voter from each of the township’s nine wards.

Haverford Township President and 9th Ward Commission Bill Wechsler expressed his surprise over the ruling, but he hoped in his opinion that if there will be a new redistricting plan that it would be created differently.

“Hopefully they will make it less political,” the Republican told Patch over the phone regarding the commission.

Wechsler, along with the rest of the board of commissioners, against the redistricting plan back in November, but in a , he said that the board would not appeal the plan, saying it would be a major expense to the residents.

But the ruling also stopped plans from having Micozzie visit the Bon Air Fire Co. tonight to meet with residents for the first time, Wechsler said.  

Wechsler said that he thought it would be inappropriate to have Micozzie come to the meeting since the redistrict plan has been thrown out. He said he spoke with Micozzie this morning and said the state representative felt the same way.

After returning Patch's phone call Thursday afternoon, Micozzie said that it was too early to comment about the ruling, but said that whether or not he will inherit the 1st and 9th wards, "I will do what I have to do" for the people he represents.

But his political opponent, Democratic challenger Sheamus Bonner is happy, according to John Fennell, his campaign manager.

“No one didn’t think this would happen,” he said, adding that Bonner has gone to the state capital with Vitali because of the redistricting issue.

But having only one person—Vitali—representing Haverford Township is “great,” exclaimed Larry Holmes, 6th Ward commissioner.

“I’m stunned at the news. There is no reason why (the state Supreme Court) threw out the plan,” the Democratic commissioner said over the phone, adding that he is eager to read the court’s opinion.

Steve D'Emilio, 1st Ward commissioner and vice president, and 4th Ward Commissioner Dan Siegel have not yet returned Patch’s phone messages or emails.