‘Appalled’: State College’s council president rails on Keller, Thompson for electoral votes stance
In an open letter to two Republican Congressmen, which was unanimously endorsed by the State College Borough Council, Council President Jesse Barlow excoriated the politicians for appalling behavior and “turning your back” on Centre County voters.
U.S. Rep. Fred Keller, R-Kreamer, and Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Howard, are among eight Pennsylvania representatives in Congress who said they would vote Wednesday against certifying the electoral votes and Joe Biden’s presidency. In previously issued statements, they accused Gov. Tom Wolf, Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar and the state Supreme Court of acting “rogue” and circumventing the democratic process.
But, noting that virtually all legal challenges were dismissed by judges and no credible evidence of widespread fraud was presented in court, Barlow wrote that the borough council was “appalled that you ... have decided to join the effort to subvert the proper counting of Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes for the Biden-Harris ticket.”
“Like you, each of us swore an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution,” Barlow continued. “In supporting this effort, you are turning your back on that oath and you are turning your back on the voters of State College Borough and the voters of Centre County.”
Barlow opened his letter by offering the two politicians a brief history lesson. In 1800, for the first time in U.S. history, an incumbent president in John Adams was defeated by the opposition party and Thomas Jefferson. Still, a peaceful transfer of power took place — and that transfer, involving incumbents, happened five more times in the 20th century alone.
“In the 2020 election, the defeated President has pushed that aside,” Barlow wrote. “He has decided to contest the integrity of the vote in an effort that is long on distortion and short on evidence.”
Barlow read the letter aloud during Monday’s borough council meeting, which came just a day after a leaked telephone conversation revealed Trump pressured Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to alter the state’s election results. During Barlow’s recitation, which occurred near the end of the meeting, several council members nodded along, with Councilwoman Deanna Behring offering a thumbs-up.
The council president ended the letter with a plea.
“We respectfully ask that you stand down on this effort and vote along with Pennsylvania’s two U.S. Senators in favor of accepting the 20 electors from Pennsylvania that voted for the Biden-Harris ticket,” he wrote. “To do otherwise is anti-democratic and un-American.”
Any objections raised by Keller and Thompson, or any other politicians, are widely expected to fail. For a state’s vote to be dismissed, majorities in both chambers have to vote to throw them out — something that’s unlikely since Democrats control the House.
Biden is scheduled to be sworn in as the nation’s 46th president on Jan. 20.
Reporter Marley Parish contributed to this report
