PENNSYLVANIA — Jake Corman — hellbent on making his caucus a national embarrassment — is moving full steam ahead on spending taxpayer money to collect the social security and driver’s license numbers of Pennsylvania voters. He has been slammed by local editorial boards, cybersecurity experts, and now national political columnists after Jennifer Rubin published a blistering takedown of Corman’s fraudit in The Washington Post. Check it out below:
The Washington Post: Pennsylvania Republicans invade voters’ privacy in service of the ‘big lie’
“The scope of the Republicans lawmakers’ demands is as stunning as it is unprecedented. They are ‘seeking the names, dates of birth, driver’s license numbers, last four digits of Social Security numbers, addresses and methods of voting for millions of people who cast ballots in the May primary and the November general election.’
In addition, lawmakers are demanding from Pennsylvania’s Department of State ‘all guidance issued to counties, as well as communications between the Department of State and county election officials, for the period covering the two votes.’e cannot tie a specific ballot to a specific voter.
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Pennsylvania Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro issued a statement Wednesday deploring the subpoenas. ‘These subpoenas only highlight how Republican leaders in our Commonwealth continue to try and manufacture controversy out of nothing — instead of a bombshell, the majority of this information is publicly available and doesn’t require force to be compelled,’ he said. He then promised to ‘do everything within our power to protect Pennsylvanians’ personal data.’
If the state does not act, the Justice Department should put Pennsylvania Republicans on notice (as it did with a letter sent to Arizona Republicans). Its guidance laid down the numerous prohibitions against voter intimidation, explaining, ‘Judicial decisions have established that voter intimidation need not involve physical threats. In certain contexts, suggesting to individuals that they will face adverse social or legal consequences from voting can constitute an impermissible threat.’ For example, taking down driver’s license numbers at voter registration meetings has been found to be unlawful.
Voters have every right to be furious about costly, intrusive and nonsensical fishing expeditions organized by Republicans to substantiate the ‘big lie.’ Pennsylvanians can vote out lawmakers who abuse their power, but state and federal officials have a separate and critical obligation to end this frenzy of post-election harassment. Now would be a good time to stand up to Republican bullies.”
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