BREAKING — Judge Blocks Certification of Pennsylvania Election Result
A Pennsylvania judge has directed the state to immediately delay further action on certifying its 2020 election results until Friday, when her court will hold a hearing on a complaint seeking to make all mail-in ballots in the Keystone State unconstitutional.
Judge Patricia A. McCullough of the Commonwealth Court entered a preliminary order on Wednesday granting an evidentiary hearing on a complaint brought by Republican Congressman Mike Kelly, candidates Sean Parnell and Wanda Logan, and five additional voters, who argue that Pennsylvania’s “no-excuse” mail-in voting extension in October 2019 violated the boundaries of the state constitution on who can cast an absentee ballot.
“To the extent that there remains any further action to perfect the certification of the results of the 2020 general election … for the offices of president and vice president of the United States of America, respondents are preliminarily enjoined from doing so, pending an evidentiary hearing to be held on Friday, November 27, 2020.”
“Inasmuch as respondents, based on their press release and briefs, have not undertaken certification of any of the other results of the election, respondents are preliminarily enjoined from certifying the remaining results of the election, pending the evidentiary hearing.”
“Should it be absolutely necessary, in order for this court to be empowered to provide adequate relief, petitioners may seek for leave from this court to join the slate of presidential and vice presidential electors as additional respondents in this action, and move to enjoin them from taking certain action,” the petition said. “Because the electors, by law, must perform their duties at the ‘seat of government of this Commonwealth,’ this court may also enjoin respondents from permitting the electors to assemble at such location.”
Judge Patricia A. McCullough
The case aims to declare unconstitutional the extension of mail-in voting and to annul certain ballots cast in the 2020 election, or make the state legislature determine who won Pennsylvania.