State Sen. David Argall (R-Schuylkill), a top Republican lawmaker who heads a key election committee in Pennsylvania, recently hinted that he is in full support of initiating an audit of the 2020 presidential election results in order to regain the public’s trust in the US voting system.
Argall serves as the leader of Pennsylvania’s Senate State Government Committee, which happens to have oversight of the election administration. His latest remarks were made during a Friday speaking engagement with Spotlight PA.
Despite the Keystone State having already conducted two audits on the election results, Argall informed the Harrisburg-based investigative outlet that he was supportive of an independent audit similar to that which is being conducted in Arizona.
“I’m an agent of public opinion,” he said, noting a variety of his constituents have raised their concerns about the election process to him. “If we’re ever going to bring trust back into the system, I think it’s a good idea to take a second look or a third look.”
“It’s a very careful recount, forensic audit, so yeah, I don’t see the danger in it,” Argall added, underscoring his beliefs that “it would not be a bad idea at all to proceed with an audit similar to what they’re doing in Arizona.”
Over yonder in Arizona, a partisan review of the election ballots in Maricopa County - the most populous district within the Copper State - has been ongoing for several weeks, and is expected to continue until the end of June. The re-recount process is being carried out by Florida-based contractor Cyber Ninjas, which has in its possession the nearly 2.1 million ballots submitted by county voters.
However, controversies have emerged as the so-called “audit” has come under fire, effectively being labeled as a sham. As the process has been unfolding, state lawmakers from Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Georgia have flocked to the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, where the process is taking place, to examine how the review is being conducted.
Argall further indicated during the event that his constituents “deserve to get an answer” to their questions and concerns surrounding the 2020 presidential vote even if election-related facts are already readily available, adding that “you would have danger whether you do the audit or you don’t do the audit.”
“In a case like this, with so much mistrust out there, I think it’s a good idea to be able to prove to people ‘yes, you’re right’ or ‘no, you’re wrong,’” he continued. “The audit could be helpful in that regard.”
The state lawmaker went on to emphasize that the audit, if cleared, needs to be conducted by an independent party. “[There] will be mistrust if the same people that conducted the election conduct the audit,” he said.
It’s presently unclear when Pennsylvania may take up recount efforts similar to those tapped by Arizona. Argall reiterated during the forum that there is “visible” support for the initiative. Republicans within the state’s House of Representatives have rejected such efforts.
The latest development came after Trump recently name-checked Argall and Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman for their inaction in launching another audit of the 2020 election results. Although Argall has subpoena power as leader of the Senate committee, such an endeavor would require funding approved by the legislature.
