YOU SPOKE WITH SOME TOP STATE DEMOCRATS ABOUT THEIR LEGAL ACTION. >> DEMOCRATS FILED THEIR INITIAL OBJECTION LATE LAST WEEK. THE NEW DEVELOPMENT WE ARE TOLD THEY EXPECT TO AS FORMALLY FOR AN INJUNCTION THIS WEEK. IF YOU VOTED FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE OF 2020, THIS AFFECTS YOU AND YOUR PERSONAL DATA. REPUBLICAN STATE SENATORS ARE SUBPOENAING PERSONAL DATA OF NEARLY 7 MILLION PENNSYLVANIANS WHO VOTED LAST FALL. THERE ELECTION AUDIT TARGETS OR NAME, ADDRESS, MEANS OF VOTING, YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE NUMBER AND THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. THE MINORITY SENATE LEADER SAYS DEMOCRATS ARE FIGHTING THAT IN COURT. >> WE BELIEVE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ASK FOR THAT DATA. WE DO NOT BELIEVE THE DATA SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THEM. THEY’RE TRYING TO PREVENT THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION OF 7 MILLION PENNSYLVANIANS. >> REPUBLICAN MAJORITY LEADER CAM WARD SAYS POLLS SHOW SOME PEOPLE THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG IN THE ELECTIO N.>> TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THA IF THERE IS NOT ANYTHING WRONG, THATS I GREAT AND EVERYBODY CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT. I THINK THE ONLY WAY FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT IS WHEN THEY KNOW FOR SURE. >> THIS ISN A ABSURD PIECE OF PERFORMANCE ART SO THEY CAN CATER TO THE EXTREME ELEMENTS WITHIN THEIR PARTY. >> LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR JOHN FETTERMAN SAYS DEMOCRATS ARE RISKING -- SSAY REPUBLICANS ARE RISKING AN IDENTITY THEFT CATASTROPHE. >> IT IS BEING ASSEMBLED AND IT COULD BE DUPLICATED AND DROPPED ON THE DARK WEB OR YOU COULD HAVE A ROGUE EMPLOYEE THAT COULD JUST RELEASE IT OR CITEO TTHE HIGHEST BIDDER. >> MUCH OF THE DATA IS PUBLIC RECORD BUT NOT ALL. >> EXCEPT FOR THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY COME WHICH SCARES PEOPLE AND IS SCARY. AND THE LICENSE . SO I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THOSE THINGS. >> WE ARE ASKING THE COURT TO SAY THIS INFORMATION IS NOT PERMITTED TO BE RELEASED TO NOT ONLY THE SENATORS BUT ALSO TO THE THIRD-PARTY AUDIT WHOEVER THAT IS GOING TO BE. THAT THIRD PARTY VENDOR. >> HE ALSO BELIEVES IT IS POSSIBLE THE STATE ATTORYNE GENERAL’S OFFICE WILL STEP UP AND SEEK TO BLOCK THOSE SUBPOENAS.
Voters' private info subpoenaed by State Senate Republicans; Democrats challenge move in court
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Updated: 10:32 AM EDT Sep 21, 2021
If you voted in the 2020 presidential election in Pennsylvania, there's a battle under way over your personal data, along with that of nearly 7 million other voters. Watch the report in the video player above.As part of its latest election audit, Pennsylvania state Senate Republicans have subpoenaed that personal data, including your driver's license number, the last four digits of your Social Security number and other personal information which will be turned over to a private contractor for the audit.State Sen. Jay Costa, Democratic leader in the Pennsylvania Senate, told Pittsburgh's Action News 4, "We don't think it's permissible by law to have the Senate Republicans collect this information from the secretary of state, and then turn it over to a third party. Again, we're talking about Social Security numbers, we're talking about driver's license information, driver's license numbers and other relevant information that's being given to a third party without any level of security that we know of."Senate Democrats filed suit against the subpoenas late Friday and are expected to the court for an injunction against the Republicans' subpoenas sometime this week.Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) said, "It's unequivocal. They are risking an identity theft catastrophe here in Pennsylvania. And I want to emphasize to your viewers, that this is Republicans and Democrats (information) too."State Sen. Kim Ward (R), the Senate majority leader, said, "I think everybody in Pennsylvania should feel good and confident about our elections. And, if you look at the Franklin & Marshall polling, there is a substantial number of Pennsylvanians who think there was something wrong."To get to the bottom of that, if there's not anything wrong, that's great and everybody can feel good about it. And I think the only way for people to feel good about it is when they know for sure."Fetterman said, "This is just simply an absurd piece of performance art, so they can cater to the extreme elements within their party."Some of the voter information is public record, like your name, address, and when and by what means you voted. But other personal information at issue is not public."Except for the last four digits of your Social Security, which scares people," Ward said. "And yeah, (it's) scary — and the license. So, I don't know what's going to happen with those things.""We believe that they don't have the authority to ask for that data. We don't believe that data should be given to them," Costa said. "We're trying to prevent the release of personal information of seven million Pennsylvanians."Fetterman said, "It's not going to be secure. It doesn't even have to be hacked. It's going to be assembled and it can be duplicated and dropped on the dark web. Or you could have a rogue employee that could just release it or sell it to the highest bidder."Costa said Senate Democrats, who filed their legal challenge late Friday, expect to formally request an injunction this week."We're asking the court to say, listen, this information is not permitted to be released to not only the senators but also to the third-party audit, whoever that's going to be, that third-party vendor."
PITTSBURGH — If you voted in the 2020 presidential election in Pennsylvania, there's a battle under way over your personal data, along with that of nearly 7 million other voters.
Watch the report in the video player above.
As part of its latest election audit, Pennsylvania state Senate Republicans have subpoenaed that personal data, including your driver's license number, the last four digits of your Social Security number and other personal information which will be turned over to a private contractor for the audit.
State Sen. Jay Costa, Democratic leader in the Pennsylvania Senate, told Pittsburgh's Action News 4, "We don't think it's permissible by law to have the Senate Republicans collect this information from the secretary of state, and then turn it over to a third party. Again, we're talking about Social Security numbers, we're talking about driver's license information, driver's license numbers and other relevant information that's being given to a third party without any level of security that we know of."
Senate Democrats filed suit against the subpoenas late Friday and are expected to the court for an injunction against the Republicans' subpoenas sometime this week.
Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) said, "It's unequivocal. They are risking an identity theft catastrophe here in Pennsylvania. And I want to emphasize to your viewers, that this is Republicans and Democrats (information) too."
State Sen. Kim Ward (R), the Senate majority leader, said, "I think everybody in Pennsylvania should feel good and confident about our elections. And, if you look at the Franklin & Marshall polling, there is a substantial number of Pennsylvanians who think there was something wrong.
"To get to the bottom of that, if there's not anything wrong, that's great and everybody can feel good about it. And I think the only way for people to feel good about it is when they know for sure."
Fetterman said, "This is just simply an absurd piece of performance art, so they can cater to the extreme elements within their party."
Some of the voter information is public record, like your name, address, and when and by what means you voted. But other personal information at issue is not public.
"Except for the last four digits of your Social Security, which scares people," Ward said. "And yeah, (it's) scary — and the license. So, I don't know what's going to happen with those things."
"We believe that they don't have the authority to ask for that data. We don't believe that data should be given to them," Costa said. "We're trying to prevent the release of personal information of seven million Pennsylvanians."
Fetterman said, "It's not going to be secure. It doesn't even have to be hacked. It's going to be assembled and it can be duplicated and dropped on the dark web. Or you could have a rogue employee that could just release it or sell it to the highest bidder."
Costa said Senate Democrats, who filed their legal challenge late Friday, expect to formally request an injunction this week.
"We're asking the court to say, listen, this information is not permitted to be released to not only the senators but also to the third-party audit, whoever that's going to be, that third-party vendor."
