HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — It was a November to remember for Republicans across Pennsylvania as a “red wave” rolled in, but questions remain about the integrity of the process in the state. There are also folks trying to silence the critics and some of them might surprise you.
Pennsylvania’s electoral college certified the vote for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. The papers must arrive in Washington D.C. by this week and be counted in a joint session of Congress on January 6. Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump, will announce the winner.
“The election in 2024 in Pennsylvania went very smoothly,” said Pennsylvania Department of State Secretary Al Schmidt. “I think voters should have every confidence that we had a free, fair, safe, and secure election and did our part to strengthen our democracy.”
However, as Senator Bob Casey (D) pursued a recount in his loss to Dave McCormick (R), per the law, many Republicans screamed that the election was being stolen.
“Instead of pointing fingers, we need to celebrate Dave McCormick’s victory for what it is that Pennsylvania’s election and the system worked as it should,” said former Congressman Lou Barletta (R). “There were disputes. They were resolved and every vote was counted.”
Barletta wrote his own editorial supporting Pennsylvania elections and criticizing the doubters.
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“Let’s not undermine all the election officials who worked tirelessly volunteering their time to make sure that our elections are safe and secure,” Barletta said.
Ironically, four years ago, Barletta joined an illegitimate group of Republican electors who signed off for Trump. He claims he only did it with the caveat that it would count only if a court threw out Joe Biden’s victory.
“We have to make lemonade out of lemons,” Barletta said. “We have to look at the last election and all the things that people felt were wrong, and we’ve learned from that and we’re better for it because of what happened.”
Once a doubter, Barletta is now a defender.
“We’re the greatest country on Earth and if we don’t believe who wins these elections, actually won, then we’re not a democracy any longer,” Barletta added.
Lawmakers return to the Capitol on January 7, and because 2025 is relatively a sleepy election year, reforms like pre-canvassing of mail-in ballot envelopes, or voter IDs could become possibilities.
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