Pennsylvania Republicans indicated late Monday that they will keep fighting an order from the state Supreme Court requiring the legislature to redraw the state’s congressional map, and one state GOP lawmaker even called for the impeachment of five justices on the Pennsylvania court.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito denied a request Monday from state GOP lawmakers to halt the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s order striking down the congressional map, delivering a blow to Republicans who argued the state Supreme Court usurped the legislature’s power to draw congressional districts.
The two top Republicans in the state legislature said they may pursue further action to challenge the order from the state Supreme Court.
“We will do our best to comply with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s January 22nd order, but may be compelled to pursue further legal action in federal court,” state Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati and state House Speaker Mike Turzai said in a joint statement.
Another Pennsylvania Republican, state Rep. Cris Dush, believes the five Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices who ruled the congressional map is unconstitutional should be impeached.
“The five justices who signed this order that blatantly and clearly contradicts the plain language of the Pennsylvania Constitution engaged in misbehavior in office,” Dush said in a memo to all members of the state House of Representatives. “Wherefore, each is guilty of an impeachable offense warranting removal from office and disqualification to hold any office or trust or profit under this Commonwealth.”
In his memo, Dush urged state lawmakers to co-sponsor legislation that would attempt to impeach the five Democratic justices.
Dush also called for the justices’ impeachment after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued its order last month.
“This is a usurpation of the sovereign power of the legislature under the Pennsylvania Constitution,” he said in a speech. “In the Constitution, it’s a contract between the people and the government that they hired to oversee them. The sovereigns in this issue are God, the people, and the legislature, in that order.”
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court set a deadline of Feb. 9 for the GOP-led General Assembly to redraw the congressional map. Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, has until Feb. 15 to approve the new map.
If the legislature fails to comply, the court said it would step in and draw a new map with the assistance of an outside expert.
Republicans currently hold 13 of the 18 congressional seats in Pennsylvania.
