House & Senate Leaders defend the people's free, fair and open 2020 election
Rep. Joanna E. McClinton December 4, 2020 | 9:08 AM
HARRISBURG, Dec. 4 -- Following an announcement from Republican Leaders in the General Assembly, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa and House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton issued a joint statement:
The facts are clear: Pennsylvania had a free, fair, and secure election. It was executed with the utmost integrity by our elections officials in every county and a cohort of poll workers across the state.
The votes, fairly cast, have been accurately counted and reported. It is time to move on and focus on a peaceful transition – rather than partisan efforts to undermine the results they don’t like.
Our democracy depends on well-earned faith in our processes and the announcement from Republicans in the General Assembly is intended to undermine that faith and sow doubt in our form of government. The sham process they have now unveiled, preceded by a COVID super spreader hearing in Gettysburg last week with Rudy Giuliani, is counterproductive, undemocratic and hypocritical as they seem to have complete confidence in their own electoral victories.
Furthermore, the thrust of their criticisms of the 2020 election stem from changes made in Act 77 of 2019 – which they broadly supported in both chambers.
If Republicans truly cared about improving our elections, they would have permitted pre-canvassing of mail in ballots – per the request of the Governor, Democratic members of the General Assembly, and every county in the Commonwealth.
While they continue their fanciful quest in pursuit of fraud, the priorities of the Senate and House Democrats will choose instead to focus on providing relief to families and small businesses suffering in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.