The author of Indiana’s new congressional redistricting bill acknowledged the maps are “politically gerrymandered” during committee questioning Tuesday but defended the proposal against accusations of illegal racial gerrymandering.

The maps, released Monday morning , were drawn “purely for political performance” of Republicans, Rep. Ben Smaltz told indignant Democratic colleagues on the House Elections and Apportionment Committee .

It was the House’s only public hearing on the maps — and was held with less than a day’s notice.

Over about three hours, 43 Hoosiers spoke against the proposal and two in favor, excluding several state lawmaker witnesses. The meeting featured ominous testimony from Marion County’s Democratic elections chief and Republican former Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann.

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