The Trump Campaign announced Thursday morning a “major victory” in a Pennsylvania appellate court in their suit challenging the lack of access of Republican poll watchers to the ballot processing and counting process. [See update below: The PA Supreme Court has overruled the appellate court ruling allowing GOP observers to monitor vote counting].
Justin Clark, Trump 2020 Deputy Campaign Manger and Senior Counsel called the decision a “major victory for election integrity, election transparency, all Pennsylvania voters, and the rule of law.”
“This is a massive gamechanger. A big ol’ floodlight is now shining on the crookedness in Philadelphia,” Trump Campaign advisor Jason Miller tweeted.
President Trump also heralded the decision on Twitter:
Big legal win in Pennsylvania!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 5, 2020
The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania wrote in it’s decision that “all candidates, watchers, or candidate representatives’ shall ‘be permitted to be present for the canvassing process’ and ‘be permitted to observe all aspects of the canvassing process within 6 feet, while adhering to all COVID-19 protocols, including, wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.”
🚨Here’s the Order we discussed on our @realDonaldTrump campaign call this morning.🚨 pic.twitter.com/ltO9v85BXU
— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) November 5, 2020
In a press call Thursday morning, Clark told reporters that the decision also guarantees that Republican poll watchers can review all ballots that have been counted to date.
Clark said in a statement that the “incredible legal victory” reversed the lower court’s order.
“For the good of the nation, every Pennsylvania county should follow the lead of this judge and provide access for observers to ensure transparency and integrity in Pennsylvania. That is the only way to ensure a fair, transparent election in which all Pennsylvania voters can have confidence their vote will count,” Clark said.
The campaign said in the press call that they remain “very confident” that President Trump will win Pennsylvania, as well as Georgia, North Carolina, and Arizona.
The Trump Campaign said they have set up a hotline for people to report election irregularities and have deployed teams of lawyers to contested states to fight for election integrity “because that’s what the American people deserve.”
Former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi, Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, and Trump Campaign senior advisor Corey Lewandowsky are among the team sent to Philadelphia.
In a press conference this morning in Philadelphia, Bondi announced the court’s decision, saying that “our team of 15 people will be added in right now to observe the vote counting process.”
Lewandowsky said it was a win for every person who “cast a legal ballot in the state of Pennsylvania.”
Even after the appellate court’s ruling, an election official in Philly blocked GOP observers from being able to “meaningfully observe” the ballot counting.
https://twitter.com/CLewandowski_/status/1324416428569694212?s=20
Update:
BREAKING: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has overruled the Commonwealth Court ruling favoring the Trump campaign on watching the mail in ballot count in Philadelphia.
Via @mitchellreports
— Political Polls (@PpollingNumbers) November 5, 2020
Justin Clark, Trump 2020 Deputy Campaign Manager and Senior Counsel released statement following the ruling, saying Team Trump will file an appeal in federal court.
“President Trump’s team won a major victory in Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court today. That victory confirmed that the law requires observers get meaningful access within six feet of the vote counting in Philadelphia.
“On the heels of this ruling, Democrats are blatantly defying the law. These Democrats are blocking the doors to the counting center and pushing our observers outside the building while they continue to count votes inside with zero transparency. What are they hiding?
“To stop the Democrats from their shady and illegal defiance of the court’s order, President Trump’s campaign has filed suit in federal court. We are fighting to enforce our observers’ constitutional right to due process that Philadelphia County Democrats are blatantly denying.
“President Trump’s team will fight for transparency and accountability as long as it takes to ensure the integrity of the election for the good of Pennsylvania and of the nation.”
Update:
Bondi and Lewandowsky held another press conference in Philly Tuesday afternoon to announce their motion in federal court.
Former Florida Attorney General @PamBondi in #Philadelphia: Trump campaign filing in federal court for immediate injunctive relief pic.twitter.com/F6gTnSKTha
— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) November 5, 2020
.@CLewandowski_: The #Pennsylvania Board of Elections thinks they are above the law pic.twitter.com/TLcCg7l2rO
— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) November 5, 2020