Pa. Senate Democrats say GOP leaders are refusing to swear in Sen. Jim Brewster amid a pending legal challenge regarding the validity of ballots. According to certified results from the Pa. Dept. of State, Brewster won his race for re-election by 69 votes.
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa says multiple courts have already upheld Brewster's margin of victory. "This is only the Republican Party trying to steal an election."
Cliff Levine, an attorney for Brewster, says the issue at the heart of the ballot battle is that a number of voters did not put a date on their ballots.
Brewster, speaking on a Zoom call, says: "This is an attack on the democratic process."
"In my opinion, this election should be over," Brewster says. He adds that he should be seated to protect "the integrity of the process."
"We cannot permit this robbery," Sen. Art Haywood says, adding that a failure to seat Brewster not only robs Brewster of a victory but voters of their vote.
Sen. Vincent Hughes says Brewster not only won the race, but state and federal court proceedings as well. "Because the Republican majority in the Senate does not like the outcome, they are making a decision to violate the will of the people," Hughes says.
"They clearly are abusing their power," Hughes adds.
Costa says Senate GOP leaders have indicated that they will not attempt to seat anyone tomorrow, including Brewster's opponent Nicole Ziccarelli.
Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, the top Republican in the PA Senate, calls the 45th District Race an "unprecedented situation." Corman refers to Ziccarelli's formal contest of the election results.
Corman said the decision not to seat Brewster is not about political party or control of the Senate.
Corman said waiting to seat someone will allow both Brewster and Ziccarelli "due process." He said he thinks it's the fairest decision.
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