{"id":2225386,"date":"2024-04-19T15:40:01","date_gmt":"2024-04-19T19:40:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/meet-the-pennsylvania-lawmaker-leading-the-united-states-most-important-election-integrity-case\/"},"modified":"2024-04-19T15:43:20","modified_gmt":"2024-04-19T19:43:20","slug":"meet-the-pennsylvania-lawmaker-leading-the-united-states-most-important-election-integrity-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/meet-the-pennsylvania-lawmaker-leading-the-united-states-most-important-election-integrity-case\/","title":{"rendered":"Get to Know the Pennsylvania Legislator Spearheading the U.S.&#8217; Key Election Integrity Lawsuit"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmeet-the-pennsylvania-lawmaker-leading-the-united-states-most-important-election-integrity-case%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2225386&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Pennsylvania \u200dState Rep. Dawn Keefer, a \u2062leading voice\u200c on\u2063 election law, challenges President Biden&#8217;s executive order on federal \u2062agencies&#8217; involvement \u2064in voter activities. Despite a setback in court, \u200bKeefer and\u200b her\u2062 colleagues aim to uphold states&#8217; constitutional \u200brights over elections. The case has been deemed crucial for ensuring election\u2063 integrity nationwide, highlighting the ongoing battle for\u2064 transparent and fair elections.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-content\">\n<p>Pennsylvania State <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legis.state.pa.us\/cfdocs\/legis\/home\/member_information\/house_bio.cfm?id=1748\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rep. Dawn Keefer <\/a>has become the go-to legislator on election law over her four terms in office. The York County Republican with more than 20 years of public- and private-sector experience brings a passion to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/progressive-policies-need-to-be-fought-off-by-states-rep-steube\/\" title=\"Progressive Policies Need to Be Fought Off by States: Rep. Steube\">election integrity issues<\/a> that\u2019s unfortunately all too rare in politics. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have personally dug into this issue. I have colleagues come up to me all the time and ask me about election laws,\u201d Keefer said in an interview this week. \u201cI know how it should be done, and how it is actually being done.\u201d <\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2-long d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-2115728889\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1379703300879-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-8a11cb82ef4fed3b11530e3c4cd26297 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-8a11cb82ef4fed3b11530e3c4cd26297\"><\/div>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m just trying to get [officials] to follow the laws in the first place.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>So it should come as no surprise that Keefer, who serves as chairwoman of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.repkeefer.com\/about\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pennsylvania State Freedom Caucus<\/a>, is leading the charge against President Joe Biden\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/04\/18\/elections-chief-probes-bidenbucks-in-mississippi-wont-accept-forms-collected-by-unlawful-scheme\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">executive order<\/a> turning federal agencies into a get-out-the-vote army for his re-election.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2018The Most Important Election Integrity Lawsuit\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>Keefer and her 26 legislative colleagues have sued the Biden administration, Pennsylvania leftist Gov. Josh Shapiro, and several state officials in federal court. They seek an injunction on Biden\u2019s fiat that commands all federal \u201cdepartments and agencies\u201d to \u201cpartner\u201d with state, local, tribal, and territorial election officials on voter registration and other GOTV initiatives. <\/p>\n<p>Critics of the intrusion of federal powers call it <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/04\/15\/bidenbucks-make-zuckbucks-look-like-chump-change\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cBidenbucks,<\/a>\u201d a nod to <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/04\/15\/bidenbucks-make-zuckbucks-look-like-chump-change\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Zuckerbucks<\/a>, the piles of private donations that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg dropped on local election offices. Biden claims his order is all about promoting the \u201cexercise of the right to vote\u201d and eliminating \u201cdiscrimination and other barriers to voting.\u201d Such lofty-sounding goals get lost in the implementation of the plan, created and apparently assisted by leftist groups selected by the White House to target traditionally Democrat voters. <\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-d6dad013c4f2d3f30df5779d71d906a9 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-6\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-d6dad013c4f2d3f30df5779d71d906a9\"><\/div>\n<p>Keefer and the Freedom Caucus argue that\u2019s not the business of the federal government. They assert the constitutional rights of states under the <a href=\"https:\/\/constitutioncenter.org\/the-constitution\/articles\/article-ii\/clauses\/350#:~:text=Article%20II,%20Section%201,%20Clause%202%20of%20the%20U.S.%20Constitution,in%20state%20legislatures%20that%20is%20%E2%80%9C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Elections and Electors clauses <\/a>to operate elections without federal meddling.\u00a0\u201c[A]ll agency action in conformity with [EO] 14019 is without congressional delegation or funding, and conducted merely by executive fiat,\u201d the lawsuit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.democracydocket.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/M.D.-Pa.-24-cv-00147-dckt-000048_000-filed-2024-03-26.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">asserts.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Stewart Whitson, the legal director at the <a href=\"https:\/\/thefga.org\/?gad_source=1&#038;gclid=CjwKCAjwrIixBhBbEiwACEqDJX2YUdyHOeSqCM8I8wbs25mQAw5odSi1xgOLsx88bedvd0nbgsB7SBoCxfYQAvD_BwE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Foundation for Government Accountability,<\/a> has <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/04\/02\/pennsylvania-lawmakers-to-appeal-bidenbucks-lawsuit-to-u-s-supreme-court\/#:~:text=Stewart%20Whitson%20of%20the%20Foundation,taking%20on%20Biden's%20election%20meddling.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">called the federal case<\/a> \u201cthe most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidenbucks-tentacles-expand-as-judge-shuts-down-lawsuit\/\" title=\"Bidenbucks' Influence Grows Following Lawsuit Shutdown\">important election integrity lawsuit<\/a> in the country.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Pennsylvania Freedom Caucus is leading a critical battle against the Biden administration\u2019s ongoing effort to turn the federal bureaucracy into a get-out-the-vote machine for the Left,\u201d Whitson told The Federalist. \u201cTheir lawsuit should serve as a model for legislators around the country who recognize the serious threat Bidenbucks poses to the integrity of their state elections,\u201d <\/p>\n<p>But the legal battle has hit an expected snag. <\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-a3e07f37fd6727c40eeefe8f72852a37 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-10\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-a3e07f37fd6727c40eeefe8f72852a37\"><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Question of Standing<\/h2>\n<p>Last month, a federal judge <a href=\"https:\/\/www.democracydocket.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/M.D.-Pa.-24-cv-00147-dckt-000048_000-filed-2024-03-26.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dismissed<\/a> the lawsuit brought by the lawmakers, at the request of the state and the Biden administration. Middle\u00a0Pennsylvania District Court <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pamd.uscourts.gov\/content\/judge-jennifer-p-wilson\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Judge Jennifer P. Wilson<\/a>, a Donald Trump appointee, granted the motions to dismiss because of the \u201cPlaintiffs\u2019 lack of standing to raise the claims at issue.\u201d\u00a0Wilson cited rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals that found \u201cindividual legislators did not have standing to bring a challenge to an action that allegedly injured the legislature as a whole.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u2026Plaintiffs have alleged only an institutional injury resulting from \u2018a general loss of legislative power,\u2019\u201d the judge <a href=\"https:\/\/www.democracydocket.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/M.D.-Pa.-24-cv-00147-dckt-000048_000-filed-2024-03-26.pdf\">wrote<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.democracydocket.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/M.D.-Pa.-24-cv-00147-dckt-000048_000-filed-2024-03-26.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">.<\/a> \u201cA vague, generalized allegation that elections, generally, will be undermined, is not the type of case or controversy that this court may rule on under Article III.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>But there\u2019s nothing vague or generalized about the effects of Biden\u2019s voter registration executive order that serves as a federal government-funded GOTV campaign for Democrats. <\/p>\n<p>Keefer and the caucus are taking their case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Their attorney, Erick Kaardal, tells The Federalist the filing with the high court is expected any day. He said his clients want the high court to rule on the standing questions because the law is unsettled. Should the Supreme Court decide the standing claim in the Freedom Caucus\u2019 favor, the case would go back to the lower court for a ruling on the merits. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur intention is to do every last thing we can to drive this case forward and get the courts to weigh in on this issue,\u201d Keefer said. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Seeds of \u2018Chaos and Confusion\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>The conservative lawmaker was elected to serve the Keystone State\u2019s 92nd Legislative District. She\u2019s been fighting for election integrity ever since. <\/p>\n<p>In Pennsylvania, that\u2019s no small battle. Lawmakers are still dealing with the messes made by Democrat-appointed secretaries of the Commonwealth, including a flurry of guidance statements to local elections officials in the days preceding the controversial 2020 election. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat was sowing chaos and confusion,\u201d Keefer recalled of the unprecedented time. <\/p>\n<p>As a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/desantis-crushes-biden-dem-opponents-in-new-poll-of-florida-voters\/\" title=\"DeSantis Crushes Biden, Dem Opponents In New Poll Of Florida Voters\">powerful swing state<\/a>, Pennsylvania found itself in the middle of myriad election integrity challenges. The problems persist. <\/p>\n<p>Lawmakers in 2021 held several hearings on election laws to get a handle on the overwhelming number of codes and directives. Keefer said some of the laws conflict, including the language about what constitutes the size of a precinct. In one section, it\u2019s 1,200 voters. In another it\u2019s 800. <\/p>\n<p>But there are counties with thousands in a precinct, Keefer said. A <a href=\"https:\/\/whyy.org\/articles\/pa-2022-election-drop-box-mail-ballot-curing-scorecard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">review<\/a> found 62 counties exceeded a state recommendation on precinct sizes. Caps are supposed to prevent long lines on election day.<\/p>\n<p>Then there are the legal challenges to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legis.state.pa.us\/cfdocs\/legis\/li\/uconsCheck.cfm?yr=2019&#038;sessInd=0&#038;act=77\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pennsylvania\u2019s Act 77<\/a>, a law authorizing no-excuse mass mail-in balloting that Keefer said \u201cstarted out well-intentioned but quickly went off the rails.\u201d In August 2022, the left-led Pennsylvania Supreme Court <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlightpa.org\/news\/2022\/08\/pa-mail-voting-law-uphelp-state-supreme-court\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">upheld<\/a> the law, overturning a lower court\u2019s decision that found Act 77 unconstitutional. The commonwealth\u2019s constitution, after all, does require voters to cast their ballots at their polling place unless they have an acceptable reason not to. <\/p>\n<p>Keefer wants Pennsylvania to join a growing list of states to leave the <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/01\/31\/if-erics-voter-roll-maintenance-is-so-popular-why-do-democrats-feel-a-need-to-force-states-to-join\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Electronic Registration Information (ERIC),<\/a> founded by leftist activist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/electronic-registration-information-center-eric\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">David Becker.<\/a> A <a href=\"https:\/\/publicinterestlegal.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/VA-ERIC-Scrub-Report-FINAL.pdf\">report<\/a> from the Public Interest Legal Foundation <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/03\/20\/report-eric-deemed-168000-dead-or-relocated-virginians-eligible-but-unregistered-to-vote\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">exposed <\/a>ERIC\u2019s zeal to target for voter registration tens of thousands of ineligible individuals \u2014 including the deceased \u2014 as <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/02\/21\/court-d-c-must-fork-over-data-about-deceased-people-on-voter-rolls-from-leftist-linked-maintenance-group\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cEligible but Unregistered\u201d<\/a> in Virginia. Such election integrity concerns have given lawmakers like Keefer understandable pause. <\/p>\n<p>The root of the problem, Keefer says, is that the executive branch and its vast bureaucracies have usurped the legislature and the law. Too many times, she acknowledges, lawmakers have abdicated their authority to bureaucrats to avoid responsibility. That\u2019s why Keefer has been a vocal proponent and primary sponsor of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legis.state.pa.us\/CFDOCS\/billInfo\/billInfo.cfm?syear=2021&#038;sInd=0&#038;body=H&#038;type=B&#038;bn=72\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Regulatory Review Act<\/a> to reign in out-of-control regulators. <\/p>\n<p>The legislator says there is much to be concerned about on the election integrity front. She said too many good reforms have been stymied. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve done very little to give the voters confidence, in my opinion,\u201d Keefer said.<\/p>\n<p>As to the lawsuit against Bidenbucks, Keefer said it\u2019s \u201cmonumental\u201d in its drive to answer the question or lawmaker standing. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a critical thing for the courts to answer before this election so that we know there is actual due process,\u201d she said. \u201cAs an elected official, we have those constitutionally appropriated rights \u2026 This not only impacts Pennsylvania, it impacts all other states.\u201d <\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-687eb103858917b0e2a96889ca948a02 fdrlst__b89e9-after-post-content\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-687eb103858917b0e2a96889ca948a02\"><\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">    \t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pennsylvania State Rep. Dawn Keefer, a seasoned four-term legislator, is a leading figure in election law. With over 20 years of cross-sector expertise, the York County Republican has a unique passion for election integrity, uncommon in politics. &#8220;I have personally delved into this issue,&#8221; she states, emphasizing her commitment to ensuring fair and transparent elections<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":656,"featured_media":2225387,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Screenshot-2024-04-19-at-12.40.49-PM-1024x509.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2225386","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Screenshot-2024-04-19-at-12.40.49-PM-1024x509.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2225386","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/656"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2225386"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2225386\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2225387"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2225386"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2225386"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2225386"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}