Two losing candidates on Thursday asked a federal judge to throw out the results of the controversial March 21 special election for the 197th Pennsylvania House District and order a new election, alleging the Democratic Party and its candidate engaged in illegal electioneering. The lawsuit from Republican nominee Lucinda Little and Green Party nominee Cheri Honkala was filed one day after Democrat Emilio Vazquez was sworn into office. The 29-page suit is a litany of complaints about shady tactics in the North Philadelphia district. The two candidates, along with the city and state Republican Parties and the state Green Party, are suing Vazquez, Philadelphia’s Democratic City Committee, and the Board of City Commissioners and Department of State, which oversaw the election.
Vazquez, in his new office in Harrisburg on Thursday, shrugged off the legal claims. “It is what it is,” he said. “They lost. We had a better campaign.”
U.S. Rep. Robert Brady, chairman of the Democratic City Committee, was equally unconcerned. “I wish them well,” he said of the people and parties who filed the suit. “Good luck.”
Linda Kerns, the Republican City Committee associate counsel and one of the three lawyers who filed the suit, shot back: “Tell Bob Brady I do not need luck. I have the Pennsylvania Election Code on my side.” The city commissioners and the Department of State declined to comment Thursday.
Full Article: Republicans and Green Party to judge: Hold a new 197th District election.