Nov. 30, 2020
HARRISBURG – Reps. Rob Kauffman (R-Franklin) and Paul Schemel (R-Franklin) released the following statement regarding the reintroduction of the language in House Resolution 1094 regarding election integrity:
“Tonight, at midnight, in accordance with the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the General Assembly’s 2019-20 Legislative Session concludes. As a result, all current legislation expires. To move forward, any public policy objectives will need to be reintroduced in the 2021-22 Legislative Session.
“Nevertheless,
House Resolution 1094 was formally introduced in the 2019-20 session. Pennsylvania’s Nov. 3 General Election was plagued by multiple irregularities and inconsistencies, many of which are currently under review by state and federal courts. We maintain that Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar’s recent certification of the election results was premature in light of the ongoing litigation. Pennsylvania’s presidential electors do not have to be named until Dec. 12, giving additional time for the courts to resolve election disputes before certification must occur. Time, however, was simply not on our side to bring this resolution to a full House vote before the current legislative session ends.
“Although the 2019-20 legislative session expires on Nov. 30, at midnight, the 2021-22 Legislative Session begins on Dec. 1. The language of House Resolution 1094 will be immediately reintroduced in the new session. We fully intend to sustain our fight in the new legislative session to ensure the integrity of our elections by making certain that every vote counts - and that no vote is diluted by the inclusion of illegal votes or inaccurate tabulations.
“Our efforts will not be limited to the irregularities outlined in our resolution, but will push back against those who do not honor their own constitutional limitations - such as Secretary Boockvar, Governor Tom Wolf, Secretary of Health Rachel Levine, and Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices such as David Wecht. We will fight to stop the Governor and Secretary Levine’s abuse of Pennsylvania’s Emergency Services Management law. We will highlight Secretary Boockvar’s overreach in hastily certifying disputed election results. We will reform a Supreme Court that has grown elitist and nakedly partisan.
“While House Resolution 1094 accurately portrayed the current outlook of those who co-sponsored and supported it, our approach may evolve as the House of Representatives equips itself to act in the new legislative session. Regardless, we look forward - as the fully representative branch of Pennsylvania government - to investigating and solving those problems which cropped up in 2020 so they are not repeated in future elections.”
Representative Rob Kauffman
89th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Representative Paul Schemel
90th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives