Ryan drafts secret Republican redistricting plan for Wisconsin

There's a secret Congressional redistricting plan for Wisconsin being discussed behind closed doors by Wisconsin's GOP House members -- perhaps in preparation for jamming it through during an "extraordinary session" of the state legislature before Republicans lose control of the State Senate in recalls later this summer.

Who's the author? According to Craig Gilbert of the Journal Sentinel:

GOP House member Paul Ryan took the lead in crafting it, according to sources.

The plan is designed to protect incumbent freshman Republican Sean Duffy, Gilbert says. [UPDATE: The new map would take heavily Dem Portage County out of the 7th CD, helping Duffy.  It also would take part of Chippewa County, possibly moving former State Sen. Pat Krietlow, a Dem who's already launched a campaign against Duffy, out of the district. It's not clear which side of the line he lives on.]

Democrats, assuming the worst, are outraged. State Party Chair Mike Tate:

"Wisconsin's redistricting process has never gone forward under such a dark ethical cloud. Conceived in darkness and obscured from the voters, this heinous redistricting plot now is foisted on Wisconsin as a fait accompli.

Never before in Wisconsin's modern history has the process taken place without local participation and the creation of wards. Never before have the people of this state had so substantial a decision made in such an absence of democratic principle.

Paul Ryan and Scott Walker and his lapdog Legislature have normalized the outrageous. In saner times, any of the many activities undertaken by Ryan, Walker and the Fitzgerald Brothers would be cause for alarm and righteous anger. Now, it's merely Monday."

Stay tuned.