Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox, in his capacity as Intervenor-Defendant in Bethune Hill v. Virginia, filed with the Eastern District of Virginia Wednesday a response to Attorney General Herring’s motion from Monday to expedite the remedial phase of ongoing redistricting litigation.

The filing outlines a series of detailed, specific and to-date private steps that have been taken toward redistricting including private correspondence, meetings with Democratic leadership, and a timeline for releasing a proposed redistricting plan. Cox also announced Wednesday that the Privileges & Elections Committee will meet on September 27 and the House will convene in mid-October to continue the redistricting process.

“We are continuing our appeal to the United States Supreme Court, but today’s filing shows that we have also taken a series of significant steps toward developing a remedial map should one ultimately be required,” said Speaker Cox. “Reluctantly, this filing makes public previously private meetings and correspondence that demonstrates the legislative process is progressing, contrary to the political posturing we saw at the end of last week.”

Cox added, “The Privileges & Elections Committee will meet on September 27th at 2 p.m. to continue its consideration of House Bill 7001. The Committee will also have the opportunity at that time to review an alternative plan we intend to propose. After that committee hearing, the full House will reconvene in mid-October to continue its work through the normal legislative process.”

“There is absolutely no doubt that we can produce a fair and constitutional redistricting plan if Democrats are willing to work toward that end in good faith,” Cox concluded.