Delco Court Gives Half-Win To Election Integrity Activists — A hearing this morning, Nov. 4, before Delaware County Common Pleas Court (Pa) Judge Spiros E. Angelos left complainants Leah Hoopes, Gregory Stenstrom and Nicole Missino with a half-win.
Maybe less than half as Judge Angelos dismissed their request for an emergency injunction to allow poll watchers greater access to the Wharf counting center in Chester.
Still, he allowed their complaint to remain standing and while he didn’t allow the witnesses prepared by the petitioners to testify or allow their evidence to presented, he let them give lengthy statements over two days along with detailed and persuasive answers to the rebuttals made by attorneys Manly Parks and Nick Centrella of Duane Morris law firm who represented the county election board.
Further, Parks conceded a major request by the plaintiffs that election day run-down sheets be posted for poll watches and allowed to be photographed, and that poll watchers should have by-right access to voting machine tapes.
Parks said this was already the law hence an injunction was unnecessary. The plaintiffs noted that this law was largely being ignored by judges of elections. Parks pledged to instantly react when made aware of such circumstances.
So, he is on record.
The plaintiffs also asked that the vDrives, which are USB drives for voting machines, be better secured as chain of custody issues were a big problem in the 2020 election.
Parks pledged that the vDrives will be transported in sealed and secure packages signed by the appropriate officials. He did not, however, concede to include the vDrive’s serial numbers as sought by Stenstrom.
Stenstrom — who along with Mrs. Hoopes, wrote The Parallel Election regarding what happened in Delaware County in 2020 –said only two or three people are required to steal an election and the officials in charge of oversight might not even be aware it’s happening.
A standing-room crowd of about 30 people packed Courtroom 10, today, with about 20 spending all day in the courthouse, yesterday.
The plaintiffs agreed Judge Angelos treated them fairly, which differed from their experiences before County Council and the Board of Elections.
Yesterday, Parks began by asking the case be dismissed as neither Mrs. Hoopes nor Stenstrom had standing to sue — the state Supreme Court ruled just Tuesday that only candidates and parties have such right — and pointed out significant problems with their paperwork.
The plaintiffs, neither of whom is an attorney, were representing themselves.
Judge Angelos agreed with Parks regarding the law but gave the pair leeway to fix things.
The deadline for relief is 5 p.m. today as Election Day is Tuesday.
Working throughout yesterday they found a candidate, Mrs. Missino, willing to join them and revised their complaint.
Few of the supporters and witnesses — one of whom came from Lancaster County — left them.
The Lancaster County witness was Mike Miller who notes that his county’s voting machines rejected thousands of ballots which had to be retranscribed by hand, and that his GOP primary challenge to Senate Caucus Leader Ryan Aument had even been left off of many.
Mrs. Missino is the Republican candidate for the 165th District State House seat which is now held by Jen O’Mara.
She said that numerous residents of her district had expressed serious concerns during her door-to-doors. She said she wanted the evidence to be presented and, hopefully, rebutted.
Unfortunately, she didn’t get her wish.
Perhaps the most damning thing about the process was that the plaintiffs during their two years of struggle were rejected by most, frightened, local attorneys, and that an attempt was made to disbar the one they they did hire, Deborah Silver.
Ms. Silver was in the courtroom, yesterday, albeit as a supporter and not an attorney.
That there is a dearth of those versed in the law willing to take a case with political implications out of fear for career and comfort is an extremely concerning sign regarding the state of the Republic.
Even Jeffrey Dahmer had a lawyer.
Mrs. Hoopes said they will try and appeal the dismissal of the injunction in the few short hours left.
