Thread by @KenCuccinelli

1/x

Tea leaf update re the #VaRedistricting case(s):
1. No opinion yet from #SCOVA in the case argued last Monday (Tazewell 1). That case is about the 2025 violations of Va's constitution & laws by the Democrat General Assembly

2/x

2. In Tazewell 2, re the 2026 violations by the Dem Gen Assembly, the injunction imposed on the referendum by the trial judge was left in place last Tuesday. This tea leaf might suggest #SCOVA has decided to rule against the referendum & so is holding the referendum in place

3/x

3. Tazewell 2 was immediately appealed to the Sup Ct of Va (#SCOVA), but for tea leaf #2, no briefing schedule has been set. Like the prior tea leaf, this may suggest #SCOVA knows it will not be considering Tazewell 2 b/c they already have the votes to reject the referendum

4a/x

4a. Reminder tea leaf: back in February, when #SCOVA held Tazewell 1 instead of hearing it prior to the referendum, they made a very unusual comment on the merits, saying words to the effect of "we have grave concerns about the serious issues raised in this case"

4b/x

4b. That may not sound like much, but most courts don't make any comment at all when simply holding a case.

& as a reminder for those who thought #SCOVA was 'ducking' the case back then, 100+ yrs of Va. precedent says that courts shouldn't rule on referenda before the vote

5/5

Conc.: it's still my belief that #SCOVA will rule against the referendum, leaving Va. with its current 6-5 map through 2026 (at least).

I also believe that #SCOVA is trying to go fast, knowing we need maps for 2026 elections, & we could see a ruling as early as this week

@ETI_now