Trump campaign files new election lawsuit in Pennsylvania

[scarletwoman]

Source: The Hill

President Trump’s campaign on Monday filed a new lawsuit against Pennsylvania’s secretary of state and seven counties, seeking an injunction prohibiting them from certifying the state’s results of the 2020 election.

The lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Pennsylvania, alleges that the commonwealth implemented an illegal “two-tiered” voting system in which voters were held to different standards depending on whether they voted in person or submitted their ballots by mail.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D) dismissed the new lawsuit as “meritless.”

“This is the latest meritless lawsuit to challenge Pennsylvania’s election, which was overseen by bipartisan election officials and was lawful, fair and secure. For months, the vast majority of these lawsuits have been dismissed and found to have no merit by Courts at all levels, and this one is no different,” Shapiro said in a statement.

“I am confident Pennsylvania law will be upheld and the will of the people of the Commonwealth will be respected in this election,” he continued.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/525224-trump-campaign-files-new-election-lawsuit-in-pennsylvania

---

(Read more at link, including the descriptions of what this latest lawsuit is alleging.)

[Cirque du So-What]

1. Looking forward to the inevitable tossing of frivolous lawsuits

The sooner the better.

[LiberalLovinLug]

29. What's the point?

I guess 1. it feeds more red meat to the 70 % of Republicans that thought it was rigged too. So that even if in the end, he does give in, without conceding, the taste of an unfair election will stay in the mouths of those Republicans. In the way Bush vs Gore did with Democrats. And I gather on that same day, same press conference when he "allows" Biden to take the White House, he will Trumpet the start of his 2024 campaign. And frame it as getting back the Presidency that was stolen from him.

The other reason I gather is that eventually, in one of these many cases, they will finally run into a Trump cultist judge, a true believer, that he may even have appointed. who will simply rule in Trump's favour without any real evidence. And rule there was enough circumstantial evidence, and lying witnesses.

[hlthe2b]

2. For those keeping close tabs, this is yesterday's lawsuit, so for many of us, not new

Strongly recommend you watch this video from Neil Katyal before you get nervous about this and are not quite ready to take the very astute PA AG at his word:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHZMNRino-R/

[Mike 03]

3. Excellent video.

Thank you.

He'd be a fine AG.

[Roland99]

5. +1

[scarletwoman]

8. According to the link, this lawsuit was filed Monday evening.

I'm not actually "nervous about this," I just didn't see any other post about this particular suit, so that's why I posted this.

And I've already seen the Neil Katyal video - yes, it's reassuring. So is the rest of the article at the link:

Some election law experts expressed skepticism that the lawsuit would prevail.

"This seems very unlikely to succeed," said Rick Hasen, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine. "Some of the claims have already been rejected by the court, others are the kinds of claims that could have been brought months ago and now come too late."

"And none of the claims seem even slightly likely to lead to a difference in vote outcomes in Pennsylvania, or in the presidential election generally," he added.

[hlthe2b]

9. announced Monday morning and discussed throughout the day, even if the filing reflects last night.

I'm not questioning posting, just trying to reassure those already nervous about these suits that this one has already been "known" and discussed if they had been reading some of the twitter legal streams or watched some of the segments on CNN/MSNBC.

To be honest, my heart sank when I saw your subject line, my having already reacted to this suit yesterday morning and not feeling ready for yet another barrage.

It is all good (or at least we hope so)...

[scarletwoman]

10. Thank you - that explains it.

I don't have cable TV, and I'm not on Twitter - so this was news to me.

[Roland99]

4. DemocracyDocket - War Room

you can keep track of the various lawsuits in the various states here

https://www.democracydocket.com/2020-post-election-war-room/

[scarletwoman]

6. Thank you for that link! I'm glad to see all that information in one place!

[Roland99]

7. @MarcElias and @DemocracyDocket are good follows on Twitter, too

[BlueMTexpat]

12. Thanks so much for that!

[BumRushDaShow]

11. I'm glad Shapiro just got re-elected.

[DeminPennswoods]

20. Me, too, but it was much too close a call

I am sorry that we lost a fantastic state treasurer, though.

[BumRushDaShow]

21. And lost the Auditor General position

I know Nina Ahmad worked really hard for that (although she might be trying to fight it though).

[DeminPennswoods]

27. I was thrilled when she won, but

there doesn't seem to have been much ticket-splitting out west here to help her.

[BumRushDaShow]

28. I literally just saw a breaking news where Torsella just conceded.

I think they ran into that enhanced turnout among the GOP (compared to 2016) this year.

[progree]

13. Here's all the OP-linked article says about the specifics:

Among the claims in the lawsuit are that observers were not granted sufficient access to watch vote tabulation in certain counties, and that Philadelphia County failed to comply with an order requiring officials to grant observers closer viewing of the process.

It does not cite specific evidence of electoral fraud. The lawsuit alleges violations of the Equal Protection Clause and the Elections and Electors Clauses.

I've been hearing these claims for days, nothing particularly new that I see. And as the excerpt in #8 says, not likely to succeed.

[muriel_volestrangler]

24. How does "we wanted to be closer" translate to "this was a 2 tier system"?

Are they saying they were allowed closer for the processing of in-person ballots?

I'm guessing this is really more "say anything, see if we draw some gullible judge who'll listen" BS.

[progree]

30. I keep thinking all this on behalf of a "president" who urged his people to vote twice /nt

[Botany]

14. Oh please

USA Today: Trump campaign observers and Republican party observers were present at every moment that every ballot was considered in Pennsylvania.”


https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/11/09/legal-experts-say-trumps-election-lawsuit-pennsylvania-baseless/6228914002/

[scarletwoman]

18. Great article - thank you for the link!

[Botany]

19. Trump and company all know they lost these laws suits are just to keep the con and the grift going.

BTW I still don't believe the polls were that off and Trump picked up 7.8 million votes from 2016.

[MrModerate]

15. Trump's lawyers just aren't very good at this, are they? n/t

[maxsolomon]

16. They are throwing shit at the wall to see what sticks.

They need to get it out of the State level to the Federal level so they can run it up the Trump-Judge ladder, and they're probing everywhere for an opening.

I don't think any of this is funny.

[DFW]

17. Trump is basing his suit on the 45th amendment to the Constitution

Amendment 45:

Article 1
A Trump, spouse of a Trump, friend of a Trump, or nominee of a Trump still in the good graces of a Trump and not incarcerated, can never do anything illegal, or be accused of doing anything illegal. Any election in which any of the previously-cited persons should seek an office shall be deemed to have been won by that prevously-cited person.

Article 2
If a Trump, spouse of a Trump, friend of a Trump, or appointee of a Trump still in the good graces of a Trump should commit a deed deemed illegal under current law, that law shall be deemed to be repealed with immediate effect.

[scarletwoman]

22. Well, that certainly clears things up!

[BarbD]

25. Excellently done.

[bucolic_frolic]

23. It's a lawsuit based on suspicion of fraud by people who don't like the outcome

Fraud requires evidence. Facts. Rigging of counts or substituting of tens of thousands of ballots. Individual votes can't even be attributed to specific voters. I'm surprised they don't blame it on the Deep State.

[iluvtennis]

26. More trump BS. Sick and tired of this.

[DLCWIdem]

31. Isn't that the same arguement Baker used in Bush v Gore?

The Bush v Gore sited a 14th Adm issue... What are Trump lawyers going for a one size fits all approach.