Trump campaign official says Pennsylvania Dems will face jail time over ballot recount
The Trump campaign official Chris LaCivita has made a bold prediction that election officials in Pennsylvania who count mail-in ballots with incorrect or missing dates will face jail time. This comes after the state Supreme Court ruled that such ballots should not be counted. LaCivita took to his X account to express his confidence in this outcome, stating, “They will go to jail. Count on it.”
The controversy stems from a recent decision by Democratic Sen. Bob Casey to endorse Democratic Bucks County commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia, who voted to count disqualified ballots in the state. Despite the court ruling, Ellis-Marseglia and other Democratic commissioners voted to include these ballots in the recount, arguing that every vote should be counted.
Pennsylvania is currently in the midst of a ballot recount after Casey refused to concede his race against Sen.-elect Dave McCormick. The margin of victory stands at roughly 17,000 votes, triggering an automatic recount under Pennsylvania law. Casey defended his decision not to concede, stating that every vote deserves to be counted, regardless of how long it takes.
The state Supreme Court had previously ruled that ballots without required signatures or dates should not be counted. However, Democratic-led election boards in several counties, including Philadelphia, Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Centre County, ignored this ruling and voted to include the disqualified ballots in the recount.
Republicans have filed 12 lawsuits in Pennsylvania to challenge the inclusion of these ballots in the recount. They argue that the court’s ruling should be upheld and that the outcome of the election should not be changed by counting illegal ballots.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) has criticized the recount effort, calling it “absolute lawlessness” and a waste of taxpayer money. They argue that the outcome of the election is unlikely to change significantly through the recount process.
Despite the legal challenges and controversy surrounding the recount, the Casey campaign has the power to end the recount at any time. Pennsylvania Republican Party Chair Lawrence Tabas has called on them to do so, citing the erosion of voter confidence in the election process.
In conclusion, the situation in Pennsylvania remains tense as election officials and politicians navigate the recount process. The outcome of the election hangs in the balance, with both parties vying for victory. The legal battles and political maneuvering continue as the recount deadline approaches.
