re: PENNSYLVANIA PENNSYLVANIA PENNSYLVANIA

Friend, it sounds like Orwell, but it’s 2020, not 1984: Republicans in the Pennsylvania House [are pushing forward with plans]( to create a “Select Committee on Election Integrity” that, despite what its name might suggest, is designed to sow doubts about the results of next month’s elections. The GOP’s goal is to muddy the waters so that they can appoint a slate of pro-Trump electors regardless of the popular vote—a plot against democracy that party leaders [specifically did not rule out]( on the record in recent interviews. And they could very well succeed. For starters, the state’s Democratic governor [might not get a veto]( over such a scheme. More importantly, there’s a reason why Donald Trump has been gunning to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court at blitzkrieg speed: [He wants a pliant court]( that will rule in his favor on any election disputes. But we can throw a serious wrench into this plan by terminating the GOP’s ill-gotten majorities in the Pennsylvania legislature. Lawmakers’ terms end on Nov. 30, meaning that if Democrats can retake at least one chamber, Republicans will have precious little time to set their ploy in motion—especially since the results of the election aren't likely to be finalized until December. We simply cannot rely on the courts to protect us. We must defend our democracy ourselves. That’s why we’re asking for your help in supporting 11 Daily Kos-endorsed Democrats who are running to flip Republican-held seats in the Pennsylvania House. If we can flip nine seats, we’ll take the majority and deal a massive blow to the GOP’s authoritarian machinations. [Please give $1 to each of these candidates running to turn the Pennsylvania House blue!]( Thank you, David Nir, Political Director Daily Kos --------------------------------------------------------------- MY EARLIER EMAIL: Friend, it was one of the most chilling stories in a campaign that’s already been one of the most disturbing of all time: Just last week, [The Atlantic reported]( that Donald Trump’s campaign is preparing to ask Republican lawmakers in swing states they control to ignore the popular vote and appoint members to the Electoral College who will vote for Trump—a power explicitly reserved to state legislatures under the Constitution. Making this nascent effort to slaughter democracy even more alarming, the chair of the Republican Party in Pennsylvania—one of the most critical states up for grabs in the 2020 elections—openly admitted that [he’d talked to the Trump campaign]( about this very possibility. “I hope they’re thinking about it,” Lawrence Tabas said. “It is one of the available legal options set forth in the Constitution.” And state Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, one of the men who’d be responsible for implementing such a scheme, refused to rule the idea out. But we can stop this despicable plot dead in its tracks by flipping just one chamber of the Pennsylvania legislature, making it impossible for the GOP to defy the will of the people. That’s because new legislators in the Keystone State assume office on Dec. 1 every even-numbered year [under the state constitution](—a much earlier date [than in most other states](, which typically defer the changing of the guard until January. [Please give $3 to turn the Pennsylvania House blue and thwart the GOP’s theft of the Electoral College!]( Crucially, election results in Pennsylvania typically are not certified until later in December: In 2016, for instance, the Department of State [finalized that year’s results](—and with them the state’s slate of electors—on Dec. 12. No matter how dastardly they’re feeling, Republicans will have a hell of a time if they try to put forth their own set of electors before election officials even have a chance to finish counting the votes. That, relatively speaking, is the simple part. The hard part is actually beating Republicans, because they’ve gerrymandered the district lines to within an inch of their lives. But despite the rigged maps, Democrats made big gains in Pennsylvania two years ago, and they’re fielding a fantastic slate of candidates this fall. To capitalize on this energy, Daily Kos [has endorsed 11 fierce progressives]( running for the state House, where we need to win nine GOP-held seats in order to take the chamber: - Emily Skopov - Marlene Katz - Lissa Shulman - Michele Knoll - Brittney Rodas - Lindsay Drew - Nancy Guenst - Anton Andrew - Deb Ciamacca - Claudette Williams - Ann Marie Mitchell Pennsylvania Republicans know that for Trump to cling to power, they have to cling to power, too, and they’ll use every nasty trick they can come up with—and then some. But together, we can make sure our candidates have the resources they need to fight back against the GOP dirty money machine by countering corporate cash with people power. Nothing less than the fate of our democracy depends on it. [Don’t let Republicans steal Pennsylvania’s electoral votes! Donate $3 now to flip the state House from red to blue!]( Thank you, David Nir, Political Director Daily Kos Daily Kos, PO Box 70036, Oakland, CA, 94612. Sent via [ActionNetwork.org](. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Daily Kos, please [click here](.