Lawmakers reject special session to redraw district maps

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – The Latest on the proclamation by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper for the General Assembly to hold a special session to redrawn legislative districts (all times local):

12:20 p.m.

Republican legislators in North Carolina have refused to hold a special session demanded by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper to redraw General Assembly districts, saying his proclamation is faulty and unconstitutional.

House Republicans on Thursday upheld a ruling by Speaker Tim Moore that the “extra session” was unnecessary and invalid, in part because lawmakers already are in their annual work session. That means the Thursday afternoon session Cooper wanted won’t occur. Senate Republicans rejected the special session idea as well later Thursday.

In an email, Gov. Cooper’s spokesperson Fred Porter released a statement in response. “Now the Republican legislature is thumbing its nose at the North Carolina Constitution as well as the US Supreme Court. It’s troubling that they prefer to fight about the process rather than draw the new map that North Carolina voters deserve to level the playing field of our democracy,” it reads. “The US Supreme Court was unanimous in its decision and there is no reason to delay the drawing of new maps.”

Cooper is trying to force the hand of GOP legislators to quickly redraw nearly 30 House and Senate districts after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this week upholding a lower court decision striking down the lines as illegal racial gerrymanders.

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2:15 a.m.

North Carolina lawmakers are gaveling in a special session demanded by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper to redraw General Assembly districts following a U.S. Supreme Court decision this week. But the formal meeting may not last very long.

Cooper signed a proclamation directing lawmakers convene Thursday afternoon to begin a session that runs simultaneously with the legislature’s current work session. Republican leaders consider the directive a stunt. There are also questions whether he had the legal authority to tell the lawmakers the “extra session” must end in no later than two weeks.

Cooper told reporters Wednesday that legislators need to act immediately and draw new boundaries because the nation’s highest court has upheld a lower court decision striking down nearly 30 House and Senate districts as illegal racial gerrymanders.

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