Republicans Seek Pennsylvania Voters’ Personal Information in 2020 Review

• Sept. 15, 2021Updated 2:09 p.m. ET

Pennsylvania Republicans moved connected Wednesday to question idiosyncratic accusation connected each elector successful the authorities arsenic portion of a brewing partisan reappraisal of the 2020 predetermination results, rubber-stamping much than a twelve subpoenas for driver’s licence numbers and partial Social Security numbers.

The expansive petition for idiosyncratic information, directed astatine Pennsylvania’s Department of State and approved successful a ballot by Republicans connected a State Senate subcommittee, is the archetypal large measurement of the predetermination inquiry. The determination adds Pennsylvania to a increasing database of states that person embarked connected partisan-led reviews of the 2020 election, including a widely criticized effort to undermine the result successful Arizona’s largest county.

Democrats successful the Senate questioned whether the committee adjacent had the authorization to petition specified information, which authorities instrumentality mostly shields from nationalist disclosure, and denounced the probe arsenic nakedly partisan and unfounded.

Democrats power respective of the apical offices successful Pennsylvania — including those of governor, lawyer wide and caput of authorities — and it was not instantly wide what ineligible ground they mightiness person to situation the subpoenas, oregon whether they would. Nor was it wide however the transportation of accusation would statesman to instrumentality place, if does proceed. The Department of State did not instantly respond to requests for remark oregon contented a connection connected the subpoenas.

Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, denounced the subpoenas and probe arsenic “another measurement to undermine democracy, assurance successful our elections and to capitulate to Donald Trump’s conspiracy theories astir the 2020 election.” He pledged to “strongly reason immoderate effort which would compromise the information and integrity of predetermination materials, infrastructure and the idiosyncratic accusation of Pennsylvania voters.”

The subpoenas, 17 successful all, besides included a petition for communications betwixt authorities and region predetermination officials. They did not see requests for predetermination machines oregon equipment.

Republicans successful respective states person pursued akin reviews — misleadingly labeled “audits” to suggest an authoritative nonpartisan probe — successful the sanction of protecting “election integrity.” The reviews person often centered connected baseless claims and debunked conspiracy theories astir the statesmanlike contest, spurred successful portion by the falsehoods promoted by erstwhile President Donald J. Trump and his allies.

President Biden won Pennsylvania by more than 80,000 votes, and the results person been reaffirmed by the state’s Department of State.

“The entirety of our proceedings today, issuing subpoenas, is based upon specified a noncredible foundation,” said Anthony H. Williams, a Democratic authorities legislator who represents an country adjacent Philadelphia. He added that it was “very troubling and, successful fact, leads america to darker days successful this country, specified arsenic erstwhile hearings similar these, during the McCarthy era, were held, wherever voices were silenced and liberties were denied, being bullied by the powerfulness of the government.”

State Senator Jake Corman, the apical Republican successful the chamber, who approved the reappraisal past month, portrayed the probe arsenic simply trying to pass aboriginal authorities and lashed backmost astatine Democrats, asking what they were “scared of.”

“All we’re doing is seeking facts, seeking information, truthful that we tin marque amended nationalist policy,” Mr. Corman said.

When questioned by Democrats arsenic to wherefore voters’ Social Security and driver’s licence accusation was indispensable for the investigation, State Senator Cris Dush, who is starring the reappraisal arsenic seat of the Governmental Operations Committee, brought up unspecific and unfounded claims of ineligible voters casting ballots successful the Pennsylvania election.

“Because determination person been questions regarding the validity of radical who person voted, whether oregon not they exist,” Mr. Dush said. “Again, we’re not responding to proven allegations, we are investigating the allegations to find whether oregon not they are factual.”

He continued: “If we person the sum errors wrong the elector registration strategy which let for specified activity, past we person a work arsenic a legislature to make authorities which volition forestall that from happening successful aboriginal elections.”

A main interest of Democrats, beyond the subpoenas, was which radical oregon companies mightiness summation entree to the stockpile of idiosyncratic accusation for the astir 7 cardinal Pennsylvanians who formed a ballot successful the 2020 election.

State Senator Steven J. Santarsiero, a Democrat from the Philadelphia suburbs, pressed Mr. Dush connected his enactment process. Mr. Santarsiero asked specifically whether immoderate of the vendors the Republicans are considering person ties to Sidney Powell, the lawyer who has popularized galore mendacious conspiracy theories astir the 2020 election.

“The reply to that is I truly don’t know, due to the fact that it is not thing that is applicable to my determination,” Mr. Dush responded.

“So it’s possible, then?” Mr. Santarsiero asked.

“It is perfectly possible,” Mr. Dush said.