Democratic Pennsylvania election official apologizes for controversial comments as Senate recount begins

A Democratic Pennsylvania election authoritative apologized connected Wednesday for controversially claiming that tribunal precedent "doesn't substance successful this country," arsenic the recount successful the U.S. Senate contention begins successful the state. 

In a gathering past week, Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia, a Democrat, voted to number provisional ballots that were missing 1 of 2 required elector signatures. She did truthful aft being told by a region lawyer that the authorities Supreme Court had already ruled that specified ballots cannot beryllium counted.

"We each cognize that precedent by a tribunal doesn’t substance anymore successful this state and radical interruption laws immoderate clip they want," Ellis-Marseglia said successful a clip that has since gone viral connected societal media. "So for me, if I interruption this law, it’s due to the fact that I privation a tribunal to wage attraction to it. There is thing much important than counting votes."

Facing a packed gathering earlier an outraged public, Ellis-Marseglia work retired her apology connected Wednesday – successful betwixt jeering and calls for her to resign. 

"Last Thursday, erstwhile I spoke astatine the gathering that you’re each present about, the passionateness successful my bosom got the champion of me, and I apologize again for that," she said. "That was a hearing, and we were talking astir provisional ballots. We were specifically talking astir the information that determination were definite provisional ballots wherever a justice of elections did not motion and did not marque definite that a elector signed connected the extracurricular envelope. To me, it was frustrating and unconscionable that we would person to instrumentality distant somebody’s ballot not due to the fact that they made a mistake, but due to the fact that an employee, 1 of our members … 1 of the judges of elections didn’t cognize what to bash oregon forgot oregon made a mistake. That contented that I spoke connected has present gone viral from my comments. It was genuinely not the champion words. I would bash it each again. I consciousness unspeakable astir it. I should person been much clear, please, I volition beryllium much wide successful the future." 

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Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia apologized connected Wednesday. (Bucks County )

Ellis-Marseglia claimed her notation to tribunal precedent related to the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v Wade – an assertion that drew large groans from the crowd. 

"I punctual you each that we each accidental things that are retired of turn, we each made mistakes. I made a mistake! And due to the fact that I americium an predetermination official, I americium held to a acold higher modular than everybody else," she said. "When I inartfully spoke and utilized the connection precedent erstwhile I was talking astir provisional ballots, I was referring to the United States Supreme Court, and the precedent that has been mislaid connected galore issues including Roe v. Wade."

The assemblage erupted successful boos and groans, arsenic Ellis-Marseglia pounded her gavel and responded, "If you would conscionable carnivore with maine for 1 much minute!" 

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"Unfortunately, I took my vexation retired connected the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, galore of whom are friends of excavation who I respect, and whose decisions are analyzable and hard and important," she said. "We are each going to larn lessons from this caller media landscape. And astir of all, I am. I americium a tiny food successful this large pond. I bash not person a megaphone connected Twitter oregon CNN, oregon I americium not a caput of state, I don't tally a statesmanlike campaign. This is the lone accidental that I person had to acceptable the grounds straight." 

Dave McCormick greets supporters connected May 17, 2022, successful Pittsburgh. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

Ellis-Marseglia said she received messages from hundreds of people, and "all of them progressive horrible, horrible expletives," and galore of them included decease threats against her and her family. 

The archetypal clip of the remark by Ellis-Marseglia garnered wide condemnation by conservatives connected societal media. 

"This is simply a BLATANT usurpation of the instrumentality and we mean to combat it each measurement of the way," Lara Trump, President-elect Trump’s daughter-in-law and co-chair of the Republican National Committee, wrote successful a station connected X that received 1.2 cardinal views.

Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., addresses supporters earlier erstwhile President Barack Obama speaks during a run rally connected Sept. 21, 2018 successful Philadelphia. (Mark Makela/Getty Images)

Pennsylvania's authorities Supreme Court connected Monday weighed successful connected a flashpoint amid ongoing ballot counting successful the U.S. Senate predetermination betwixt Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican David McCormick, ordering counties not to number mail-in ballots that deficiency a close handwritten day connected the instrumentality envelope. Casey has refused to concede the race, which The Associated Press called successful favour of McCormick earlier this month

In a statement, Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said a deficiency of ineligible clarity had surrounded the ballots, putting region officials successful a presumption wherever they were "damned if they did and damned if they didn’t — apt facing ineligible enactment nary substance which determination they made connected counting."

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McCormick presently leads by .24% arsenic of Thursday morning, according to Pennsylvania's predetermination results website. A recount is triggered nether authorities instrumentality by a borderline of .5% oregon lower. The statewide recount began Wednesday morning. It indispensable reason by Nov. 26. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.