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During today’s meeting of the House Judiciary Committee, Common Cause Pennsylvania Executive Director Khalif Ali submitted testimony strongly opposing House Bill 38, the Judicial Districts Amendment. This unprecedented bill would take voters’ power over our courts away and eviscerate judicial independence. It is opposed by many former Pennsylvania judges, both Democratic and Republican as well as news media editorial boards around the state.

Common Cause calls on our elected officials to demonstrate the type of leadership that will reinstill confidence in our democracy. Pennsylvanians deserve nothing less. Jim Brewster was chosen by his constituents to represent them. Common Cause Pennsylvania urges the Senate to immediately seat him.

“Once again, this court decision is a win for voters. We’re glad that this court, also, recognized the lack of evidence and lack of merit in this lawsuit. In America, voters choose our elected officials. Pennsylvania’s voters made a collective decision, weeks ago, and that decision needs to be honored.”

A federal district court judge today dismissed a lawsuit brought by President Trump’s campaign, dealing a crippling blow to the president’s attempts to undermine the election’s expected results in the commonwealth.

In a major development with implications for the 2020 presidential election, a federal court in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has allowed three nonpartisan advocacy organizations and three voters to intervene in a lawsuit filed by President Trump’s campaign against the commonwealth and all 67 counties that seeks to restrict several election administration practices that are necessary to allow people to vote safely in November.

House Bill 196 has dangerously re-emerged in the Senate, and was voted out of the Senate State Government Committee in a party-line vote today. Common Cause Pennsylvania continues to actively oppose the bill, which would establish judicial districts here in the Commonwealth. Electing judges in expensive, partisan elections by judicial districts subverts the role of the judiciary and encroaches on the roles of the other two branches of government.