GOP sues over special elections in Pennsylvania House majority battle – Metro Philadelphia

By MARK SCOLFORO Related Press

The highest-ranking Republican within the Pennsylvania Home of Representatives requested a courtroom late Friday to stop voters from filling three vacant seats in February that can decide majority management of the chamber.

Rep. Bryan Cutler of Lancaster, who served as speaker till Nov. 30, requested Commonwealth Courtroom to concern an injunction, naming the Division of State, appearing Secretary of State Leigh Chapman and the Allegheny County Elections Board as defendants.

Cutler’s submitting got here days after his Democratic counterpart as flooring chief, Rep. Joanna McClinton of Philadelphia, claimed the mantle of the chamber’s presiding officer and despatched the state orders scheduling the elections for Feb. 7.

Helped by redrawn district maps and energy on the high of the ticket in gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races, Democrats gained a internet of 12 seats within the November election, barely sufficient to retake management of the Home, 102-101, after greater than a decade within the minority.

However one profitable Democratic incumbent, Rep. Tony DeLuca of Allegheny County, died at age 85 of most cancers a couple of weeks earlier than voters returned him for an additional time period. Two different Allegheny County Democrats who had been reelected, Reps. Austin Davis and Summer season Lee, resigned this week forward of being sworn in subsequent month as lieutenant governor and to Congress.

Cutler’s lawsuit argues that DeLuca’s dying earlier than the brand new session started Dec. 1 means Democrats “can’t declare to have ever had a majority of 102 dwelling members or extra members than the Republican Caucus.”

Cutler’s lawsuit challenges McClinton’s authority underneath the state’s legal guidelines and structure to concern the three “writs of election.”

The Democrats have 99 members and the Republicans 101 who’re anticipated to take part in swearing-in day on Jan. 3, with sensible management of the chamber up within the air.

Usually, elections are scheduled by the Home speaker, and on Nov. 30, the final day of the 2021-22 time period, Cutler scheduled the DeLuca particular election for Feb. 7. This week, Chapman — appointed by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf — rejected Cutler’s election-scheduling paperwork and accepted McClinton’s.

The chamber won’t have a speaker till Jan. 3. Chief Clerk Brooke Wheeler will preside over the Home that day till representatives select a speaker to run their chamber in the course of the 2023-24 session.