PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia City Commissioners voted unanimously on Friday to reject a request from Pennsylvania Sen. Doug Mastriano for ballots and equipment from the November election.
Mastriano, a Republican who serves parts of Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and York counties, is a supporter of former President Donald Trump. He was at the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, and he has raised false claims about the state’s election results.
He requested election materials from three counties for an Arizona-style audit of the outcome.
All three commissioners approved a letter in which chair Lisa Deeley said that the city’s results had already been audited twice and another review was not necessary. She added that turning materials over to anyone would compromise the integrity of the elections system and result in it being decertified by the state.
“Among other things,” Deeley wrote, in part, “there is no claim that Philadelphia County’s election systems or processes were compromised nor is there any basis to jeopardize the constitutionally mandated secrecy of the votes cast by City of Philadelphia residents, to expose the taxpayers of the city to tens of millions of dollars in additional and unanticipated expenses, or to risk the very ability of Philadelphians to cast ballots in future elections if Philadelphia’s system was decertified.”
Read the full letter below:
This is the second rejection in two days for Mastriano’s effort to get access to voting equipment and records in three counties.
The Republican-majority Tioga County Commissioners wrote Mastriano on Thursday to say they would not cooperate, saying their participation had hinged on Mastriano helping arrange the purchase and installation of new machines for the Nov. 2 vote.
York County, also with a GOP-majority county board, has raised questions about the legality and cost of Mastriano’s request and is still considering it.
York County officials have launched an investigation into a purported “election integrity committee” that has been going door-to-door asking residents who they voted for in November and how they voted.
Mastriano has said he plans to subpoena the three counties through the state Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee, which he chairs, but it’s unclear if he has enough support from his fellow Republican senators to follow through with that threat.
Philadelphia City Commissioner Omar Sabir said he sees a connection to Mastriano’s efforts.
“They are things designed, in my opinion, to cast doubt on the election, to cause confusion, which will then try to stop voters of color from participating in the process,” he said. “I believe that wholeheartedly and I’m pleased with the decision our commission made today.”
Mastriano has not returned KYW Newsradio’s calls and emails seeking comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.