Keystone Today

House Speaker Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) issued the following statement in response to the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) voting down a request to perform an audit of the 2020 General Election:

“I am disappointed the LBFC would choose to block such an important process in an open and transparent democracy. I am also surprised, considering we asked for a report to be completed on the primary, and did not hear any objections,” Cutler said. 

There have been problems in the past in Pennsylvania, like a woman who had been in charge of elections in Philadelphia in 2018 having to surrender her notary license after she failed to check the identification of a woman who was pretending to be the wife of one of her friends. 

Lisa Marie Deeley, who is the city commissioner at Philadelphia County Board of Election, notarized documentation for her friend, Charles J. Costello, whose actual wife was in the process of divorcing him. The documentation caused Costello’s actual wife to lose her rights to his death benefits. Deeley was even re-elected to her position after this incident occurred.

Jennifer Stefano, the chief innovation officer and vice president at the Commonwealth Foundation, wrote in an op-ed that the state’s election practices do not instill confidence in the state’s citizens.  She noted the mass mail-in ballot push by Gov. Tom Wolf and the number of election-related rules that were quickly passed, removing the Green Party candidate from the ballot over a technicality and other various changes. 

There were also allegations that poll watchers for the Republican Party were turned away from polling places. A woman for the Trump campaign was turned away from observing on the first day for early voting. 

Rudy Giuliani, one of the campaign’s attorneys, also made claims that Philadelphia had cheated in every election for the past 60 years. 

“The number of voter fraud cases in Philadelphia could fill a library,” Giuliani said, the Philly Leader reported. “Just a few weeks ago there was a conviction for voter fraud and one two weeks before that.” 

“Pennsylvania’s 2020 election will be remembered for two things,” Cutler said in a statement. “Historic voter participation, both in person and by mail, and extraordinary and conflicting interventions into the election process by state courts and the Secretary of State before election day.” 

Cutler vowed to pursue a meaningful effort into reviewing the election. 

“Our chamber will continue to pursue policies that protect and promote election integrity. We still believe a complete audit is the best way to proceed and improve.”

Democrat Rep. Jake Wheatly maintained an audit was not needed. 

“As the committee’s treasurer, I believe it’s imperative we use our state’s finances and resources in a responsible manner. That is a responsibility shared by each member of this committee. To conduct such an audit, on top of the actions taking place by the Pennsylvania Department of State to certify election results, would truly be an exercise in futility. We currently have processes in place to validate our election results to ensure the process, from beginning to end, was fair.” 

The move comes as Pennsylvania certified its vote. Shortly after, the General Services Administration recognized Joe Biden as President-Elect.