Virginia Republican leaders urged the Supreme Court on Thursday to deny a long-shot petition filed by Democrats from the commonwealth to revive the voter-approved Democratic gerrymander of Virginia’s congressional map.The brief from GOP leaders in the Old Dominion comes days after Virginia Democrats filed an emergency petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, hoping to reverse a ruling from the Virginia Supreme Court that found state officials unlawfully rushed the April 21 redistricting referendum to voters. The Virginia Republicans argue it is too late for the high court to reinstate the referendum results, and that even if it were not too late, they have no valid federal claims in the case that the U.S. Supreme Court can review.“Applicants’ demand is extraordinary. They ask this Court to stay a state supreme court’s judgment on a state constitutional issue governing the state constitutional amendment process, all so that they can redraw congressional districts weeks before early voting begins in the primary,” the brief said.
“But the application is even more extraordinary for what it omits: any mention of a deadline for relief, any discussion of the injunction in a separate case that renders the application meaningless, and any federal question providing this Court a basis for review,” the brief continued.
