Thread by @DKaplanWTAE

The Pennsylvania State Senate begins its new legislative session of the people's business with.....

An argument about masks and whether or not Senators on the floor should be required to wear them.

#WTAE

They're taking a vote now to require senators on the floor to wear masks for today's session.

They DID NOT call on Jim Brewster for this roll call.

Some context:

wtae.com/article/pennsy…

OK.

Democratic Senator Steve Santarsiero from Bucks County has requested a delay in swearing in Senators pending resolution of the judicial challenge to Brewster's win.

Critical of Ziccarelli's "specious" actions, and says she didn't go through proper procedure in courts.

"This happens not in a vacuum, it happens in the context of some very serious threats to our democracy today," Santarsiero said.

Brings up tomorrow's certification challenges expected in DC despite Joe Biden being elected and certified as the winner of Presidential election.

"They are not intending to seat Senator Brewster despite the fact that the people of the 45th district have spoken."

"This is the most serious issue that has come before us" in his time in the senate, Santarsiero said.

"All because one candidate is displeased with having lost."

As I understand it.

Dem senators just tried to delay all swearing in since Republicans don't plan to seat Brewster. That failed along party lines, 11-14.

Republicans want to table Brewster's seating.

Things are getting incredibly heated. Senator Anthony Williams yelling at Republican Ryan Aument in the chamber.

Aument is now making a motion to replace John Fetterman, who is president of the senate, for not allowing his motion to the floor for an up or down vote.

Wow.

Along a party line vote, John Fetterman has officially been removed as President of the Senate right now.

What we seem to have now is essentially two separate factions running the Pennsylvania State Senate, disagreeing on who has actual authority.

Fetterman keeps saying "The senate is at ease" but the replacement just installed by Republicans as part of a parliamentary move, is proceeding on, beginning the process of swearing in all senators except the 45th district that's still being contested.

For the time being, the senate clerk is reading off all certified elections with the exception of the 45th District.

There's some audible chatter in the background of the chamber right now.

Picture is of clerk as he reads off results.

#WTAE

Senate Democrats calling this an "attempted coup"

https://twitter.com/PaSenateDems/status/1346520003957444608

Ceremony for swearing in new senators has officially begun, with Republican Jake Corman acting as the President of the Senate right now.

Senator Anthony Williams (D) screamed out the final results of the Brewster-Ziccarelli race, but Brewster isn't officially sworn in, it seems

Corman (R) says he won't be seating Brewster, per the Republican vote.

It is time for the Democrats to be sworn in.

Brewster is up on the rostrum, and Corman is asking Brewster to step down, saying the chair has ruled on this.

Can't see if Brewster has removed himself.

JUST IN:

Brewster (in the background) NOW requests that other Democratic senators-elect be sworn in, even without him in deference to the other Senators being sworn in today.

That swearing in is happening now.

#WTAE

Clerk now reading taking a roll call to see if a quorum is present. And Brewster has been skipped over.

As of now, despite a certification from the Department of State of his election, Democrat Jim Brewster is NOT formally a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate.

The quorum is present and we're onto other administrative and leadership votes.

I'm going to hop off and end the thread here.

We'll bring you the intense moments regarding this swearing in ceremony tonight at 5 and 6 on #WTAE.