A Bucks County, Pennsylvania commissioner is apologizing and fending off calls for her resignation after she made a comment that she wouldn’t follow court precedent in recounting ballots in the state’s close Senate race.
Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia, a Democrat, made the remarks last week, voting to count provisional ballots that lacked one of the necessary signatures even though the state Supreme Court had ruled those ballots were invalid, according to Fox News.
“We all know that precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore in this country and people violate laws any time they want,” Ellis-Marseglia said during the meeting.
“So for me, if I violate this law, it’s because I want a court to pay attention to it. There is nothing more important than counting votes.”
Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia said, “I’m not going to second that, mostly because I think that we all know that precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore in this country, people violate laws anytime they want; so, for me, if I violate this law, I want a court… pic.twitter.com/TkmNkMiaHs
— Bennetta Elliott (@belliott123) November 21, 2024
The move came as an automatic recount had been triggered in the race between incumbent Sen. Bob Casey, who lost by a slim margin to GOP nominee Dave McCormick.
However, on Wednesday, after going bad-viral on social media, Ellis-Marseglia apologized profusely amid demands for her resignation.
“Last Thursday, when I spoke at the meeting that you’re all here about, the passion in my heart got the best of me, and I apologize again for that,” she said.
Should Ellis-Marseglia resign?
“That was a hearing, and we were talking about provisional ballots. We were specifically talking about the fact that there were certain provisional ballots where a judge of elections did not sign and did not make sure that a voter signed on the outside envelope.
“To me, it was frustrating and unconscionable that we would have to take away somebody’s vote not because they made a mistake, but because an employee, one of our members … one of the judges of elections didn’t know what to do or forgot or made a mistake. That issue that I spoke on has now gone viral from my comments. It was genuinely not the best words. I would do it all again. I feel terrible about it. I should have been more clear, please, I will be more clear in the future.”
She also said that she was referring to Supreme Court precedent that she disagreed with, including the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Diane Ellis-Marseglia is the epitome of everything wrong with local government—lawless, arrogant, and utterly devoid of accountability. Her decision to defy the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and illegally count invalid ballots isn’t just a slap in the face to the rule of law; it’s a… pic.twitter.com/BjUNt52GCV
— Charlie Charlie (@CharlieWrldTV) November 21, 2024
Meanwhile, the crowd booed and jeered her.
In addition, Scott Presler — the Trump campaign operative credited by many for putting the state in the win column for the GOP — appeared at the meeting and demanded she step down.
“I have a message: We are coming for your seat in 2027 if you don’t resign today,” he said.
Scott Presler is a true Patriot!
Scott Presler absolutely demolishes Bucks County, PA Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia to her face for her blatant cheating in the PA Senate race.
Presler: “I have a message, we are coming for your seat in 2027 if you don’t resign today!” pic.twitter.com/uWOAAjwdyE
— American Patriot 🇺🇸🦅Constitutional Conservative (@BobbyWalker2002) November 20, 2024
And the trouble isn’t over yet: The Bucks County Republican Party said its attorneys were working with attorneys from the state GOP and the Republican National Committee to pursue the matter.
🚨🚨🚨#BucksCounty Democrat Commissioners violate the rule of law and ignore PA Supreme Court ruling!
Democrat Commissioners Diane Marseglia and Bob Harvie voted today to count illegal ballots, against PA Supreme Court ruling, in an attempt to aid former Senator Bob Casey.… pic.twitter.com/qAdFlVchmh
— Bucks GOP (@BucksGOP) November 14, 2024
The recount is unlikely to make a difference; while the margin between Casey and McCormick is small, the race hinges largely on the provisional ballots that Ellis-Marseglia was promising to count illegally, and there aren’t enough of them outstanding to make a difference in the race.
Nevertheless, this is the attitudes of election officials that make Americans skeptical of how safe and secure our elections are. You heard her: She’ll make the rules, because the courts don’t rule her way. And she was kidding and letting the emotions get the best of her when she got caught.
Mark my words: This remark will be remembered long after Diane Ellis-Marseglia is out of office and forgotten. One can only hope that she’s replaced by someone who understands the role of the courts.
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