Republican Sen. Pat Toomey Encourages ‘Conversation’ About Impeaching Pennsylvania Justices Over Redrawn Map
The Republican senator said that he leaves it to the state legislature to pursue impeachment over the new electoral maps, but that “it’s a conversation that has to happen.”
Larry Downing
Republican Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) said Wednesday during a press conference that the state’s legislature should have a “conversation” about potentially impeaching the state’s Supreme Court justices over a newly redrawn map.
Responding to a question from a reporter on the scene about a suggestion from a Republican state lawmaker that the Supreme Court’s liberal members should be impeached, Toomey said: “Look, I think it’s inevitable that that conversation’s going to take place.”
“I think state House members and state senators are going to be speaking amongst themselves and their constituents, and the fundamental question is does this blatant, unconstitutional, partisan power grab that undermines our electoral process, does that rise to the level of impeachment?” Toomey continued.
Toomey, of course, acknowledged that “that’s ultimately their decision” but said “it’s a conversation that has to happen.”
The new electoral map, intended to correct the state’s heavily gerrymandered districts, establishes eight potential Democratic-leaning congressional districts and ten Republican-leaning ones in a state where the president won by less than a point overall.
Republicans have already stated that they plan to sue over the map changes. United States Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, a conservative, denied a request earlier this month from Pennsylvania Republicans to delay a ruling mandating a redraw of the map.
President Trump has also drawn attention to the map, encouraging the GOP to challenge it in court.
“Hope Republicans in the Great State of Pennsylvania challenge the new ‘pushed’ Congressional Map, all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary. Your Original was correct! Don’t let the Dems take elections away from you so that they can raise taxes & waste money!” he tweeted Tuesday.
According to PennLive, Toomey echoed this sentiment Wednesday.
“When Pennsylvania’s State Supreme Court violates the law, violated the constitution as they have done in this case, then there's a terrible miscarriage of justice,” Toomey said. “You should fight this map, go to court and if necessary, go to the Supreme Court to have it rejected.”