State HouseGOP pushes ahead plan for ‘ election integrity’ panel

A proposal to set up a Republicanmajority state House panel to review the fall election, with subpoena power and money to operate, was muscled out of committee Wednesday over loudDemocratic objections.

The resolution would establish a Select Committee on Election Integrity to look into how the election is being regulated and conducted and tohelpdetermine ifnew legislation is needed, possibly before the Nov. 3 vote.

“I think my constituents would have grave and serious concerns that this somehow would be conducted in a manner that could interfere with said election,” said Rep. Pam DeLissio, D- Montgomery.

The resolution, which GOP leaders said will likely get a final House floor vote Thursday, was approved 1510 by the House State Government Committee.

Democrats said theywere concerned about Republicans launching partisan investigations into the election in the weeks ahead of Election Day.

“Democracies die slowly,” said Rep. MalcolmKenyatta, D- Philadelphia. “And I think that this bill would be a fatal blow to our democracy.”

State Government Chairman Garth Everett, R- Lycoming, said his intention as the resolution’s main sponsor was to have the committee generate forward- looking recommendations.

Democrats said theywere worried about the resolution’s wording, which says the select committee should recommend “legislative, regulatory or other changes to improve the conduct of the 2020 general election or subsequent elections.”

Everett stressed the select committee would not have authority to change any laws, only to investigate and make recommendations.

The House GOP’s swift action on the bill comes amid closed- door talks with Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s office on wider election- related legislation, including granting counties their top request, to allow them to start processing what could be 3 million or more mail- in ballots.

The resolution says the select committee would look into actions and instructions by the Department of State and by county election boards and study what other states have done. It would report back to the House “at the earliest practicable date.”

House Speaker Bryan Cutler, R- Lancaster, would appoint the select committee’s members, including the two Democrats.

Democratic Leader Frank Dermody called the election investigation effort a “power grab” and “the last thing the House of Representative should be doing right now.”

Dermody, D- Allegheny, said the committee would be able to compel production of unspecified documents and other materials.

“With none of those terms defined and no apparent limitation on their breadth, there’s a real potential for serious harm to the ongoing election. As this is currently written, it’s even possible the committee could try to impound uncounted ballots,” he said.