There is no question that the motivation both in support of and in objection to a “forensic investigation” of the 2020 election in Pennsylvania is purely partisan.
The Republican-controlled Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee has voted to subpoena detailed state election records, including the names of who voted in last year’s presidential election, their birth date, address, driver’s license number, and the last four digits of their Social Security number.
Outraged Democrats have accused them of helping perpetuate the “big lie” of baseless claims that former President Donald Trump was cheated out of victory. Those claims have repeatedly been rejected by courts, affirming President Joe Biden’s 80,000-vote winning margin over Trump in Pennsylvania.
Committee chairman Sen. Cris Dush, R-Jefferson, claims the probe is not meant to challenge Biden’s victory. He says the committee is responding to allegations of voter fraud regarding false addresses and dead voters on the rolls, claims that are also not supported by evidence.
The focus of Republicans is a deep dive into the Department of State and its handling of the 2020 election, the first election cycle under new state reforms that broadened voting by mail and that took place during a pandemic. Republicans say they want to delve into the communication and guidance given to counties during the ramp-up to both the primary and general elections as well as vote-counting, voter verification and ballot security.
The panel is seeking information on what method each person used to vote, whether in-person or by mail, absentee or provisional ballot, as well as information on when each registered voter last cast a ballot.
The subpoena also seeks voter records for the May primary, all changes to voter records from May 31, 2020, to May 31, 2021, and records of communication between state election officials and county election officials during the same period.
Dush suggested that the information will be given to a yet-to-be hired contractor so that lawmakers can “create legislation which will prevent that from happening in future elections,” referring to so-called voter fraud.
At the core of this investigation is a more serious problem than the bickering between a Republican legislature and a Democratic state administration.
The subpoena vote by this committee seeks personal information of voters including the method of voting and who they voted for, a request that violates the confidentiality of citizens in their voting choices, a strike at the very bedrock of democracy.
The same legislative leaders who rail about infringement of citizens’ personal liberties when it comes to public health directives are now attempting to trespass on the personal liberty of a free and private vote.
Not only is this investigation an attempt to erode trust in democracy, it is also an abuse of resources.
The Department of State would require costly hours to produce the information, the legal challenges will carry a high price tag, and then there is the cost — and risks involved — of contracting an outside consultant to analyze the data.
This is money and time that could be spent addressing the real problems facing Pennsylvania.
We elect our representatives to work for the good of citizens — to ensure access to education for our children, safety in our neighborhoods, adequate roads and bridges, jobs and business growth, clean air to breathe and clean water to drink, and protection of the natural and historical resources that beautify Pennsylvania.
This exercise in vote snooping does none of those things. It is a colossal waste of time and money and a violation of voters’ trust of the highest order.
The people elected to represent us, Republicans as well as Democrats, should have the courage to speak up and call this what it is — a disgraceful sham — and put an end to this nonsense.
