Pa. senator’s presence at Trump rally that later turned violent leads to call for him to resign
Updated Jan 07, 2021;
Posted Jan 07, 2021
Sen. Doug Mastriano s presence at the protest rally that spiraled into a riot and violence at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday has other state lawmaker s calling for his resignation.
(Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PA)
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Pennsylvania’s state Sen. Doug Mastriano was among those standing in the massive crowd gathered outside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday as Congress began performing its constitutional duty of certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the November election.
The Franklin County Republican, an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump who organized a “Ride to DC” on Wednesday for fellow Trump supporters to protest this affirmation of Biden’s win, said in a statement he went there to support the President.
Local news from StateCollege.com and Centre County Partners. Read about Corman Asked Congressional Leaders to Delay Election Certification and more from the State College, PA region
Pennsylvania Republicans refuse to seat incoming Democratic senator
By MARK SCOLFORO and MARC LEVY The Associated Press,Updated January 5, 2021, 4:55 p.m.
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President Donald Trump supporters gather on the statehouse steps as the Pennsylvania House of Representatives are sworn in.Laurence Kesterson/Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) â A bitter dispute erupted on the floor of the Pennsylvania Senate on Tuesday when majority Republicans blocked a Democratic incumbent from being sworn in because his GOP challenger has disputed the razor-thin election results.
Lawmakers were back in the Capitol for swearing-in day, facing a still-raging pandemic and a massive budget gap. Republicans hold large majorities in both chambers.
Screenshot of Pa. state Senate livestream Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman in foreground and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman in background
What was supposed to be a routine and ceremonial meeting of the Pennsylvania state Senate devolved into chaos on Tuesday, as Republican lawmakers moved to block one Democrat from being sworn in to his seat, and ousted another from his position as their presiding officer.
The floor of the Senate chamber was engulfed in shouting for minutes on end Tuesday after Republican lawmakers motioned to delay the inauguration of incumbent state Sen. Jim Brewster (D-McKeesport) whose 69-vote victory in the Nov. 3 General Election is being challenged by his Republican opponent Nicole Ziccarelli.
A looming Democratic majority in Congress is not deterring Republican congressmen from Pennsylvania, who were among President Donald Trump s first and most fervent supporters, in their effort to overturn the outcome of the election.
When Congress started to meet at 1 p.m. Wednesday to officially confirm the results, eight Pennsylvania congressmen are planning to join Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, to invalidate results in President-elect Joe Biden s native state and the 20 electoral votes that made the Democratic challenger the winner.
U.S. Reps. Fred Keller, Mike Kelly, John Joyce, Dan Meuser, Scott Perry, Guy Reschenthaler, Lloyd Smucker and Glenn GT Thompson in a joint letter said they will oppose the popular vote in their home state and will not certify the commonwealth s electors when the U.S. House meets Wednesday.