(DailyEmailNews.com) – In a shocking blow to election integrity, a federal judge has dismissed a crucial lawsuit six Pennsylvania Republican congressmen filed to challenge the validity of overseas ballots.
In a controversial ruling, U.S. District Judge Christopher Conner rejected the lawsuit on multiple grounds, including late filing and lack of standing.
Reps. Guy Reschenthaler, Dan Meuser, Glenn “GT” Thompson, Lloyd Smucker, Mike Kelly and Scott Perry filed the lawsuit to address serious concerns about the vulnerability of overseas ballots to fraud and manipulation.
The congressmen argued that overseas ballots lack proper verification of voter identity and eligibility, raising legitimate questions about the integrity of these votes.
With around 25,000 overseas ballots at stake in Pennsylvania alone, the potential for abuse is outstanding.
Rep. Perry expressed disappointment in the ruling and emphasized the critical importance of secure voting. He said in a statement:
“While Judge [Conner’s] decision to dismiss our efforts to ensure and strengthen voter integrity at the ballot box in Pennsylvania this year is disappointing, it is my great hope that Secretary Schmidt uses all means at his disposal to protect the principle of ‘One Person, One Vote.’ The eyes of [the] Nation, and the World, are on Pennsylvania. We must ensure our votes are secure”.
The lawsuit’s attorney Erick Kaardal highlighted the real risks at play, stating, “We don’t want votes from Iran or Russia or invalid votes counting.”
In his decision, Judge Conner wrote, “They may not rush to federal court to attempt an end-run around that process. The absence of a cause of action deprives this court of jurisdiction over plaintiffs’ case and compels us to grant defendants’ motion on this final alternative basis.”
The judge’s assertion that an injunction would “upend the Commonwealth’s carefully laid election administration procedures” seems to prioritize administrative convenience over the integrity of the democratic process.
This ruling is part of a disturbing trend of courts dismissing Republican efforts to safeguard our elections as similar lawsuits in Michigan and North Carolina have also been rejected.
Once reliably Republican-leaning, the overseas voting bloc has shifted in recent cycles, raising further questions about the motivations behind these lax voting procedures.
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