Court decisions don't matter: bucks county dem commissioners vote to count bad ballots

Court Decisions Don’t Matter: Bucks County Dem Commissioners Vote to Count Bad Ballots

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1 min read
November 15, 2024

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Two Democratic county commissioners have come under fire after voting to count disputed ballots despite a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling, prompting accusations of violating the rule of law.

During a public meeting, Commissioners Diane Marseglia and Bob Harvie voted to include ballots that Republican officials and party attorneys claim are illegal under the court’s precedent. The controversy centers around an attempt to aid former Senator Bob Casey, who is locked in a closely watched political contest.

In defending her vote, Marseglia stated, “…precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore in this country. And people violate laws anytime they want. For me if I violate this law, it’s because I want a court to pay attention to it.”

Republican Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo opposed the decision, introducing a motion to uphold the court’s ruling, but the measure was overruled by the Democratic majority.

Republican leaders, including the Pennsylvania GOP and the Republican National Committee, have announced plans to take legal action. Attorneys are reportedly working to challenge the commissioners’ decision in court, arguing it undermines the Supreme Court’s authority and threatens election integrity.

This latest development highlights growing tensions in the state, which has been a key battleground in recent elections. Legal proceedings are expected to unfold in the coming days as both sides prepare for what could be a pivotal court battle.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

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