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Gov. Tom Wolf takes lawsuit on constitutional changes to Commonwealth Court
(link) https://www.post-gazette.com/news/crime-courts/2022/09/26/tom-wolf-constitutional-amendments-lawsuit-commonwealth-court-pa-legislature/stories/202209260074
HARRISBURG — Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf is taking another shot at a lawsuit that argues Republican lawmakers improperly bundled together five proposed state constitutional amendments to get them approved by the Pennsylvania Legislature.
Mr. Wolf's new lawsuit filed late last week in Commonwealth Court is similar to the litigation he previously tried to get the state Supreme Court to take up directly, and it comes less than two weeks after the justices said no but that the governor was free to sue in the lower Commonwealth Court.
- snip -
Mr. Wolf's new filings argue the Legislature violated the procedures for recording votes when amending the constitution and that “nothing less than an independent vote on each and every proposed change to the constitution” is required.
“The bundling of the amendments was calculated to shield Republican lawmakers from scrutiny of their positions on the various amendments,” Mr. Wolf's lawyers wrote, “particularly the General Assembly's attempt to annul constitutional rights relating to abortion.”
One of the proposed amendments would state the Pennsylvania Constitution does not guarantee any rights relating to abortion or public funding of abortions. Mr. Wolf and his acting secretary of state, Leigh Chapman, are claiming that alone is “deceptively compound” and would require two separate votes.
Mr. Wolf's new lawsuit filed late last week in Commonwealth Court is similar to the litigation he previously tried to get the state Supreme Court to take up directly, and it comes less than two weeks after the justices said no but that the governor was free to sue in the lower Commonwealth Court.
- snip -
Mr. Wolf's new filings argue the Legislature violated the procedures for recording votes when amending the constitution and that “nothing less than an independent vote on each and every proposed change to the constitution” is required.
“The bundling of the amendments was calculated to shield Republican lawmakers from scrutiny of their positions on the various amendments,” Mr. Wolf's lawyers wrote, “particularly the General Assembly's attempt to annul constitutional rights relating to abortion.”
One of the proposed amendments would state the Pennsylvania Constitution does not guarantee any rights relating to abortion or public funding of abortions. Mr. Wolf and his acting secretary of state, Leigh Chapman, are claiming that alone is “deceptively compound” and would require two separate votes.
- more at link -
Gov. Wolf is trying very hard to get these Amendment bills struck down in the courts. If he can't stop them in court, then next year (in an off-year) voters will be asked to approve FIVE AMENDMENTS to the Pennsylvania Constitution at one time. They are all objectives of the Repukes who are trying to do an end-run around the Governor.
The Governor has until the end of 2022 to get these proposed Amendments struck down. Thank you Governor Wolf!
2 replies
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That's a Constitutional Amendment that I'd support in a heartbeat. However I have a lot of faith in Josh Shapiro, he'll be another great Governor, I believe. He's been craftily dealing with the Repuke legislature shenanigans for a while now.