Lee threatens to not seat Casey in Senate if he continues refusal to concede

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, recently criticized Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, for his refusal to concede the election. Lee suggested that the Senate could refuse to seat Casey if he continues to rely on what Lee referred to as “illegal votes.” Lee pointed to Article I, Sec. 5, Cl. 1, which states that each “House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns, and Qualifications of its own Members.”

The Senate race in Pennsylvania is currently undergoing a recount after Republican Sen.-elect Dave McCormick emerged victorious by a margin of roughly 26,000 votes, triggering an automatic recount under Pennsylvania law.

Despite multiple outlets calling the contest and declaring McCormick the winner, Casey has refused to concede, insisting that a winner should only be declared once all votes are counted. However, concerns have been raised about the validity of the votes Casey is attempting to count. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that ballots lacking required signatures and dates should not be included in official results, a ruling that Democratic officials in Philadelphia and surrounding counties are reportedly ignoring.

Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia, a Democrat, openly admitted to violating the court’s ruling, stating that she believes the importance of counting votes outweighs the need to adhere to the law.

The Republican National Committee Chairman, Michael Whatley, has accused Democrats in Pennsylvania of attempting to “steal” the election from McCormick by counting illegal ballots. Lee has called on Casey to voluntarily abandon his fight over the disputed ballots and allow McCormick to take his seat in the Senate.

In response to the ongoing situation, Lee urged Casey to concede, stating, “Bob Casey, you’re better than this. It’s time to concede.” The Casey campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

In conclusion, the Pennsylvania Senate race continues to be mired in controversy as both sides dispute the validity of the votes cast. It remains to be seen how the situation will be resolved and whether Casey will ultimately concede defeat to McCormick. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.