Reschenthaler contributing to disinformation
U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler is supporting Republican-backed lawsuits aimed at voter suppression and bringing chaos to the upcoming election. His lawsuit challenges the Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act. He is joined by five other Pennsylvania congressmen, including Scott Perry, whose phone was seized by the FBI during the Justice Department’s investigation into the attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
The lawsuit being brought by these congressmen does not identify any cases of fraudulent overseas ballots cast. Coincidentally, all six of these congressmen voted to not accept Pennsylvania’s electoral votes on January 6, 2021. Reschenthaler has stated that Donald Trump bears no responsibility for the insurrection. He tweeted that Trump was “the BEST president since Lincoln” during Trump’s speech to the crowd before they marched on the Capitol.
Reschenthaler, who is rarely seen or heard from by his constituents, issued this statement about his lawsuit: “The Pennsylvania Department of State is unlawfully diluting the rightful ballots of the brave men and women who serve our nation and their family members.” This is preposterous on its face as the lawsuit identifies no cases of fraudulent overseas ballots cast. Even worse, his blatantly false concern for overseas service members while actively trying to disenfranchise them from participating in a presidential election is offensive and insulting.
Pennsylvania state law, passed 14 years ago, does not require voters who apply to vote by mail from overseas to provide identification. Lawyers from the Pennsylvania Department of State said there is “no excuse” for waiting to file the suit. “Nor do they provide any reason for bringing this action at the eleventh hour after voting in the 2024 general election has already commenced.”
“It’s a voter-suppression attempt that is coming weeks before the election, and after ballots were sent out,” said Philip Hensley-Robin, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania.
Reschenthaler is contributing to the disinformation and derision that is plaguing our country. He is intentionally fueling a climate of doubt, fear, and distrust in our democratic system. He is making a mockery of the free and fair election process that is the backbone of our democracy. His actions are not the actions of a leader. They are not the actions of a representative who serves our country or his constituents. It is time to vote him out.
Sharon Laffey
Buffalo Township