GOP to block Democrat from state Senate in mail ballot fight
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A day before Pennsylvania state lawmakers will be sworn in for a new two-year session, state Senate Democrats accused Republicans of trying to “steal” an election by objecting to letting one of their members take his seat. The dispute revolves around the election of Sen. Jim Brewster of Allegheny County. Republicans say they won’t swear in Brewster during Tuesday’s ceremony while they consider a complaint filed Friday by Republican challenger Nicole Ziccarelli. Brewster beat Ziccarelli by 69 votes, according to state-certified returns. Ziccarelli also is suing in federal court to overturn that result. The contest hinged on court decisions that allowed counties to count mail-in ballots that lacked a handwritten date on the ballot envelope.