Pennsylvania’s highest court ruled that Republican lawmakers cannot enforce a subpoena for election records issued in 2021, inspired by Trump’s fraud claims. The court dismissed appeals, stating the subpoena became unenforceable after the Legislature’s session ended in 2022. It was part of a GOP-led “forensic investigation” into the 2020 election. Trump pressured battleground states to investigate fraud claims. The subpoena faced legal challenges and remained inactive for over two years. The ruling favored the state attorney general, Senate Democrats, and voter groups who opposed the subpoena. Senate Republicans haven’t announced plans for another subpoena.
The ACLU, representing voter groups, deemed the subpoena an abuse of power with no legislative purpose, influenced by Trump’s election fraud allegations. Democrats argued it undermined trust in the election results. Some sought records were protected by privacy laws, according to the attorney general’s office. The high court’s decision overturned the Commonwealth Court’s ruling, which left enforcement to the Senate, raising privacy concerns. Election audits were pushed by Trump’s supporters in battleground states like Pennsylvania, despite minimal evidence of fraud.
Republicans spent heavily on legal bills and investigations, yet no public report on findings has been issued. An AP investigation found few potential voter fraud cases across battleground states, including Pennsylvania. Only 26 possible cases were identified, representing a fraction of Biden’s margin of victory. He won Pennsylvania by over 80,000 votes.
