WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Thursday, December 1 at 1:30 p.m. EST, Common Cause, the Southern Coalition for Social Justice and global law firm Hogan Lovells will hold a media briefing to discuss the legal case behind the fight to defend our democracy in Moore v. Harper.

The U.S. Supreme Court case, stemming from the legal fight for fair maps in North Carolina, is scheduled for oral arguments on December 7, 2022. At worst, a bad decision in Moore could hand state lawmakers near-absolute power to run federal elections, without checks and balances from the courts that have long been a cornerstone of our democracy. 

The brief filed jointly by Common Cause, Harper, and League of Conservation Voters respondents described how North Carolina lawmakers’ desperate and dangerous arguments in Moore are inconsistent with the text, structure, and history of the U.S. Constitution, and contradict centuries’ worth of well-established precedent. 

Representatives from Common Cause and the legal team at the Southern Coalition for Social Justice (including Allison Riggs, long standing lead counsel for Common Cause) and Hogan Lovells, the pro bono counsel in the case, will discuss the legal, historical, and practical arguments underlying our opposition in Moore v. Harper. Speakers will also discuss the ‘independent state legislature theory’ (ISLT), the flimsy and debunked legal argument floated in this case that, if adopted, could upend elections and consolidate partisan power in both blue and red states. 

Neal Katyal, a partner at Hogan Lovells and former acting U.S. Solicitor General, will be representing Common Cause and the respondent groups at the Dec. 7 oral arguments. 

Who: 

• Kathay Feng, national redistricting director, Common Cause  
• Bob Phillips, Common Cause North Carolina executive director
• Allison Riggs, legal counsel and co-director of Southern Coalition for Social Justice 
• Neal Katyal, partner at Hogan Lovells

 What: Media Briefing on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Moore v. Harper case

When: Thursday, Dec. 1 at 1:30 p.m. EST 

Where: Zoom webinar. Click here to register. 

Media have permission to record the briefing. A video link to the recording will be distributed following the event. 

Please go to mooreharper.org to stay up-to-date on the latest about Moore.