Time to accept that the people have spoken
More baseless inquisitions are a clear ploy to continue to spread false allegations that have been debunked.
In recent months, we have witnessed a full-frontal assault on the truth and on our democratic process — one that goes against everything we stand for in this country.
On Jan. 6, it even breached the walls of democracy. The world watched in horror as a mob attacked the U.S. Capitol as our government officials carried out their duty to effectuate the will of the voters in electing the next president.
Even worse, this assault was fomented 100% by disinformation and lies that were spread to subvert the free and fair election and undermine people’s faith in our democracy.
The truth is that Pennsylvania election workers are heroes. These officials live and work in our communities, coach our kids’ sports teams, are our neighbors and friends and work harder than almost anyone I know. It is because of them and their dedication that all of us can exercise our fundamental right to vote and have faith that our system is safe, secure and accurate.
Yet despite this, the misinformation and lies that fueled the attack on the Capitol are being revived in statehouses across the country. In the last several weeks, Republicans in the Pennsylvania Legislature have launched a renewed set of specious claims to continue to undermine the election — the same contest that won most of them their seats.
This week, the Republican leadership of the Legislature will launch an unprecedented set of 14 hearings that will drag on for months to rehash spurious allegations and conspiracy theories, and the Republican leadership in the Senate created a committee to do the same.
This is the same body that — just last year — passed a law establishing a bipartisan Election Law Advisory Board with appointees from the Legislature, the Secretary of State, and others, to consider and propose effective election reforms. This board was intended to be an inclusive and effective vehicle for such issues, and is already scheduled to meet in January.
More baseless inquisitions are not only an incredibly inefficient use of time and tax dollars but a clear ploy to continue to propagate false allegations that have already been debunked by independent fact-checkers and trusted election officials, as well as resoundingly dismissed by state and federal judges.
Similar charade investigations are brewing in other battleground states. In a recent report by the nonpartisan Voter Protection Program, the lies spread about the election in Pennsylvania and other states are taken down one by one, case by case, and reveal exactly why we do not need months of sham hearings to revisit old arguments.
I am incredibly proud of the free, fair, and secure election carried out by our counties in 2020, marked by exceptional transparency and unparalleled voter registration and turnout, even in a pandemic.
These successes were in part thanks to the historic, bipartisan legislation passed in 2019 that made the most election reform changes in more than 80 years in Pennsylvania. This legislation lengthened voter registration periods, created no-excuse mail-in voting and other improvements, while maintaining the strict security and eligibility-checking processes that have been followed by every county for decades. In fact, we took it to the next level by piloting risk-limiting audits, a scientific procedure using statistical methods to confirm that the outcome of an election is accurate and detect possible interference.
We can say with confidence and pride that the election was fair, secure, and free. The votes have been counted, they have been certified, and they have held up against endless attacks in court. Both Democrats and Republicans in Pennsylvania won up and down the ticket.
After the 1992 election, President George H.W. Bush eloquently said, “The people have spoken, and we respect the majesty of the democratic system.”
There have been many calls for unity. I agree. It’s time to celebrate our success, respect the majesty of our democratic system, and move forward together with a shared understanding that the integrity of our election administration is strong. In this moment, anything less puts the future of our democracy at risk.