Pennsylvania AG sues to block GOP subpoenas in election probe

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D) filed a lawsuit on Thursday to block a Republican-backed subpoena to state election officials in a GOP-led probe of the 2020 presidential election, The Associated Press reported.

In a 76-page lawsuit, Shapiro’s office asks the court to block the subpoena because it serves no legislative purpose and adds to the effort by former President Trump to overturn the results of the election. 

Shapiro also says in the lawsuit parts of the subpoena, including a request for voter information, are “illegal, unconstitutional, and unenforceable,” according to the AP. 

The lawsuit will also asks to block Republicans’ request for copies of reports from audits and reviews of Pennsylvania’s voter registration system since 2018, the AP reported. 

The state Senate’s Intergovernmental Operations Committee voted earlier this month to send 17 subpoenas that would seek information from Gov. Tom Wolf’s (D) administration that includes driver’s license information, partial Social Security numbers, and details on how each voter cast their vote. 

GOP state lawmakers have said they want to exercise the legislative power to oversee executive branch functions, saying this has nothing to do with Trump or overturning the election, the AP reported. 

President Biden defeated Trump by more than 80,000 votes in Pennsylvania in last November’s election, the AP noted.