A Pennsylvania lawmaker has called for the impeachment of five state Supreme Court Justices in the wake of a decision that requires the Pennsylvania legislature to redraw the state’s congressional map. Pennsylvania state Representative, Republican Cris Dush, blamed the justices for “blatantly” contradicting the Pennsylvania State constitution.
“The five justices who signed this order that blatantly and clearly contradicts the plain language of the Pennsylvania Constitution engaged in misbehavior in office,” Dush wrote in a memo to state House members. “Wherefore, each is guilty of an impeachable offense warranting removal from office and disqualification to hold any office or trust or profit under this Commonwealth.”
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in January that the legislature had to redraw the congressional map because it was drawn in a way that heavily favored the Republican Party. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court also said that they would redraw the districts if the legislature and the governor could not agree on one. It gave the legislature until February 9 to submit a new map to Governor Tom Wolf, who is a Democrat.
Republican lawmakers asked the U.S. Supreme Court to give them more time in redrawing the districts. They also challenged the lower court’s authority to redraw new districts, saying that state’s constitution gives that authority only to state legislatures and not courts, but the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block the redrawing of the districts yesterday.
The two top Republicans in the state also said they may pursue further action to challenge the state court’s ruling, although they didn’t specify support for impeachment. “We will do our best to comply with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s January 22nd order, but may be compelled to pursue further legal action in federal court,” state Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati and state House Speaker Mike Turzai said in a joint statement.