The refusal of state senators from the Pennsylvania Republican Party to elect a Democrat leads to a chaotic ceremony

The refusal of state senators from the Pennsylvania Republican Party to elect a Democrat leads to a chaotic ceremony

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Republicans in the House have made a motion not to elect Democratic Senator Jim Brewster, whose narrow victory in November is being contested by his Republican opponent. The Pennsylvania State Department confirmed his victory. The effort reflects a continuing effort by some Congressional Republicans to object to President-elect Joe Biden’s presidential victory, even after his victory was confirmed by the Electoral College and lawsuits seeking to overturn the results have been largely rejected.

When Democratic Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman objected to the motion on Tuesday – insisting that Brewster be sworn in – the state government took the rare step of taking control of his proceedings.

The intense streak began when Republican state senator Ryan Aument made the motion not to accommodate Brewster until “the moment the Senate had an opportunity to take a closer look at the contest petition.”

The motion, Aument said, “is not debatable. And I ask that the motion be put to a vote immediately.”

Fetterman replied, “The chair does not recognize the motion made by Senator Aument.”

Aument finally stated, “Mr. President, it is your duty to properly file a motion before this body. If you continue to refuse to fulfill your obligations, the Senate will replace you with the interim president pro tempore.”

Senate President Pro Tempore, Jake Corman, a Republican, has replaced Fetterman.

The scene drew a quick reaction from Democrats across the state, including Governor Tom Wolf, who said in a statement, “This is a shameful takeover that disgraces the institution.”

“It is simply unethical and undemocratic to leave the district without a voice simply because Republicans do not like the result of the election. Voters, not Harrisburg politicians, have decided this election, and Senator Brewster is the rightful winner,” Wolf said.

“All ballots have been counted and certified, and the results are accurate. Senator Brewster received the majority of votes in this dispute and should be sworn in as senator by the 45th district. There is no precedent, nor legal justification, for failing to do so.” , he added.

The case for state Republicans not to sit Brewster is based on a lawsuit filed by his opponent, Nicole Ziccarelli. She is trying to reverse her electoral defeat by removing some ballot papers from Allegheny County that did not include handwritten dates on their outer declaration envelopes.

CNN contacted Brewster and Ziccarelli for comment.

It is unclear how long the state government plans to keep Brewster’s chair empty. Corman said in a press release before the inauguration ceremony: “We understand that this issue needs to be resolved promptly, while ensuring that the constituents of the 45th Senate District are properly elected representatives”

This story was updated with additional information on Tuesday.

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