Lawsuit Aims To Keep Rep. Scott Perry Off 2024 Ballot
Raises Constitution’s Insurrection Clause as rationale for denying spot on ballot
Raises Constitution’s Insurrection Clause as rationale for denying spot on ballot
Voting runs through December 29
Rep. Scott Perry (R-10) has been linked to Donald Trump’s attempts to refute the results of the 2020 election and block the peaceful transfer of power.
Now, the six-term Central PA lawmaker faces similar legal challenges as the former president.
A seven-page lawsuit was filed with Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court asking that the body bar the 62-year-old Perry from the state’s primary ballot, citing those efforts.
The lawsuit, filed by liberal activist Gene Stilp, argues that Perry is not eligible to appear on the ballot because of insurrectionist activity in blocking the peaceful transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden.
The challenge follows on the heels of rulings by the Colorado Supreme Court and Maine’s Secretary of State removing the 45th president from their primary ballots, citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. That language bars from office those who “engaged in insurrection.” It was designed to keep representatives who had fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War from returning to Congress.
It is expected that appeals will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the legality of such moves by states.
Perry’s lawyer said those appeals would favor both Trump and his client.
“This lawsuit was filed by a partisan activist who clearly has no regard or understanding of how our Democratic Republic works,” John P. Rowley wrote in a statement. “It is but the latest effort by an extremist to disqualify a duly elected official with whom he disagrees. We are confident the Supreme Court will put an end to this lunacy.”
Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Commonwealth – Al Schmidt – was also named in the suit. His office declined comment.
Gov. Josh Shapiro, speaking on WILK Radio on Wednesday, said that he believes that call belongs to the voters.
“And if there’s a challenge, it’s up to the courts. We’ve made clear that the Secretary of State, the governor, do not have the authority to remove any candidate. Forget Donald Trump, any candidate from the ballot. That’s a question for the courts to decide.”
Perry has not been charged with a crime, although he is the only sitting member of Congress whose cellphone was seized by the FBI in its investigation into efforts to illegally overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Perry has fought efforts by federal investigators to review texts and emails from his cell phone. A judge last month ordered Perry to turn over more than 1,600 texts and emails to FBI agents. Perry did not appeal it, his lawyer said.
Rep. Scott Perry (R-10) has been linked to Donald Trump’s attempts to refute the results of the 2020 election and block the peaceful transfer of power.
Now, the six-term Central PA lawmaker faces similar legal challenges as the former president.
A seven-page lawsuit was filed with Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court asking that the body bar the 62-year-old Perry from the state’s primary ballot, citing those efforts.
The lawsuit, filed by liberal activist Gene Stilp, argues that Perry is not eligible to appear on the ballot because of insurrectionist activity in blocking the peaceful transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden.
The challenge follows on the heels of rulings by the Colorado Supreme Court and Maine’s Secretary of State removing the 45th president from their primary ballots, citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. That language bars from office those who “engaged in insurrection.” It was designed to keep representatives who had fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War from returning to Congress.
It is expected that appeals will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the legality of such moves by states.
Perry’s lawyer said those appeals would favor both Trump and his client.
“This lawsuit was filed by a partisan activist who clearly has no regard or understanding of how our Democratic Republic works,” John P. Rowley wrote in a statement. “It is but the latest effort by an extremist to disqualify a duly elected official with whom he disagrees. We are confident the Supreme Court will put an end to this lunacy.”
Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Commonwealth – Al Schmidt – was also named in the suit. His office declined comment.
Gov. Josh Shapiro, speaking on WILK Radio on Wednesday, said that he believes that call belongs to the voters.
“And if there’s a challenge, it’s up to the courts. We’ve made clear that the Secretary of State, the governor, do not have the authority to remove any candidate. Forget Donald Trump, any candidate from the ballot. That’s a question for the courts to decide.”
Perry has not been charged with a crime, although he is the only sitting member of Congress whose cellphone was seized by the FBI in its investigation into efforts to illegally overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Perry has fought efforts by federal investigators to review texts and emails from his cell phone. A judge last month ordered Perry to turn over more than 1,600 texts and emails to FBI agents. Perry did not appeal it, his lawyer said.
Rep. Scott Perry (R-10) has been linked to Donald Trump’s attempts to refute the results of the 2020 election and block the peaceful transfer of power.
Now, the six-term Central PA lawmaker faces similar legal challenges as the former president.
A seven-page lawsuit was filed with Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court asking that the body bar the 62-year-old Perry from the state’s primary ballot, citing those efforts.
The lawsuit, filed by liberal activist Gene Stilp, argues that Perry is not eligible to appear on the ballot because of insurrectionist activity in blocking the peaceful transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden.
The challenge follows on the heels of rulings by the Colorado Supreme Court and Maine’s Secretary of State removing the 45th president from their primary ballots, citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. That language bars from office those who “engaged in insurrection.” It was designed to keep representatives who had fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War from returning to Congress.
It is expected that appeals will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the legality of such moves by states.
Perry’s lawyer said those appeals would favor both Trump and his client.
“This lawsuit was filed by a partisan activist who clearly has no regard or understanding of how our Democratic Republic works,” John P. Rowley wrote in a statement. “It is but the latest effort by an extremist to disqualify a duly elected official with whom he disagrees. We are confident the Supreme Court will put an end to this lunacy.”
Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Commonwealth – Al Schmidt – was also named in the suit. His office declined comment.
Gov. Josh Shapiro, speaking on WILK Radio on Wednesday, said that he believes that call belongs to the voters.
“And if there’s a challenge, it’s up to the courts. We’ve made clear that the Secretary of State, the governor, do not have the authority to remove any candidate. Forget Donald Trump, any candidate from the ballot. That’s a question for the courts to decide.”
Perry has not been charged with a crime, although he is the only sitting member of Congress whose cellphone was seized by the FBI in its investigation into efforts to illegally overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Perry has fought efforts by federal investigators to review texts and emails from his cell phone. A judge last month ordered Perry to turn over more than 1,600 texts and emails to FBI agents. Perry did not appeal it, his lawyer said.
Rep. Scott Perry (R-10) has been linked to Donald Trump’s attempts to refute the results of the 2020 election and block the peaceful transfer of power.
Now, the six-term Central PA lawmaker faces similar legal challenges as the former president.
A seven-page lawsuit was filed with Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court asking that the body bar the 62-year-old Perry from the state’s primary ballot, citing those efforts.
The lawsuit, filed by liberal activist Gene Stilp, argues that Perry is not eligible to appear on the ballot because of insurrectionist activity in blocking the peaceful transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden.
The challenge follows on the heels of rulings by the Colorado Supreme Court and Maine’s Secretary of State removing the 45th president from their primary ballots, citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. That language bars from office those who “engaged in insurrection.” It was designed to keep representatives who had fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War from returning to Congress.
It is expected that appeals will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the legality of such moves by states.
Perry’s lawyer said those appeals would favor both Trump and his client.
“This lawsuit was filed by a partisan activist who clearly has no regard or understanding of how our Democratic Republic works,” John P. Rowley wrote in a statement. “It is but the latest effort by an extremist to disqualify a duly elected official with whom he disagrees. We are confident the Supreme Court will put an end to this lunacy.”
Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Commonwealth – Al Schmidt – was also named in the suit. His office declined comment.
Gov. Josh Shapiro, speaking on WILK Radio on Wednesday, said that he believes that call belongs to the voters.
“And if there’s a challenge, it’s up to the courts. We’ve made clear that the Secretary of State, the governor, do not have the authority to remove any candidate. Forget Donald Trump, any candidate from the ballot. That’s a question for the courts to decide.”
Perry has not been charged with a crime, although he is the only sitting member of Congress whose cellphone was seized by the FBI in its investigation into efforts to illegally overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Perry has fought efforts by federal investigators to review texts and emails from his cell phone. A judge last month ordered Perry to turn over more than 1,600 texts and emails to FBI agents. Perry did not appeal it, his lawyer said.
Will tonight's U.S. Senate debate affect your decision?
Total Voters: 27