Ain’t the Internet, grand?

Using the tools available to all of us, a political science student at the University of Pittsburgh noticed a change in Rep. Rob Mercuri’s (R-Allegheny) campaign website, now that he has declared his candidacy for the 17th Congressional District seat.

Noah Torok shared his findings with his “X” (formerly Twitter) community.

would you look at what disappeared from his website 👀 https://t.co/ZrGiTOlDhw pic.twitter.com/OKtxYM4f5V

— Noah 🗺️ (@ntorok4) August 15, 2023

Torok’s ‘tweet’ caught the attention of The Keystone, whose website states that its “mission is to protect and strengthen our democracy through credible, fact-based journalism that seeks to create a more informed, engaged, and representative America.”

The outlet used The Internet Archive, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, that is building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. It currently has preserved 26+ years of web history that is accessible through its Wayback Machine.

The Keystone confirmed what Torok had found – that Mercuri scrubbed from his website what many western Pennsylvania voters would find interesting about his personal position of reproductive rights.

Mercuri, who presently represents the 28th District in the state House of Representatives, announced his intention to run incumbent Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-17) to represent Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District next fall.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has included PA-17 among a list of 37 seats held by Democrats it deems vulnerable in 2024. Deluzio defeated Republican Jeremy Shaffer by seven points in 2022.

As a state representative, Mercuri voted in favor of a constitutional amendment declaring that abortion is not a protected right under the state constitution. He also released a public statement praising the overturn of Roe v. Wade, saying in a statement on Facebook he would “proudly and responsibly use my voice to advocate for those who do not have a voice in this debate and help lead the charge in defending the most vulnerable among us.”

“Rob Mercuri can run but he can’t hide from his toxic anti-choice record,” House Majority PAC Communications Director CJ Warnke posted online. “We have the receipts, and @HouseMajPAC will ensure that that @ChrisForPA will be re-elected in 2024.”