Texas Sen. Ted Cruz says if the U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear a case filed by fellow Republicans challenging Pennsylvania’s election results, he will be the one to deliver the petitioners’ argument before the high court.
What are the details?
Last month, a group of individuals led by Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Kelly (R) and GOP congressional candidate Sean Parnell filed a lawsuit arguing that universal mail-in voting is unconstitutional in the state. According to USA Today, the petitioners seek to “invalidate more than 2.5 million mail-in ballots that Pennsylvanians used to vote in the Nov. 3 election.”
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court unanimously threw out the case, so Kelly and his co-petitioners filed an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Sen. Cruz then promptly issued a statement urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up Kelly’s and Parnell’s appeal, saying that the case “raises serious legal issues” and arguing that “hearing this case now — on an emergency expedited basis — would be an important step in helping rebuild confidence in the integrity of our democratic system.”
Now, Cruz says he will personally argue the case if the Supreme Court agrees to hear it.
If #SCOTUS grants cert in the PA election case, I have told the petitioners I will stand ready to present the oral argument.
Full statement below… pic.twitter.com/EnHxjqGR5K
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) December 7, 2020
“Because of the importance of the legal issues presented, I’ve publicly urged #SCOTUS to hear the case brought by Congressman Mike Kelly, congressional candidate Sean Parnell & state rep. candidate Wanda Logan challenging the constitutionality of the POTUS election results in PA,” the senator tweeted Monday.
Repeating a statement he first delivered to Fox News, Cruz explained, “Petitioners’ legal team has asked me whether I would be willing to argue the case before #SCOTUS, if the Court grants certiorari. I have agreed, and told them that, if the Court takes the appeal, I will stand ready to present the oral argument.”
He added, “As I said last week, the bitter division and acrimony we see across the Nation needs resolution. I believe #SCOTUS has a responsibility to the American People to ensure, within its powers, that we are following the law and following the Constitution.”
Anything else?
Several state courts have seen election challenges filed in the wake of the general election. Dozens have been filed by attorneys representing President Donald Trump and his campaign, who allege that widespread voter fraud and irregularities are behind Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s projected win.
Neither President Trump nor his campaign are listed as petitioners in Kelly and Parnell’s case.
Over the weekend, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito moved up the deadline for the high court to respond to the plaintiffs from Wednesday to Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. ET.
