A Democratic Pennsylvania election official issued a public apology Wednesday following remarks that went viral and stirred outrage amid the state’s ongoing Senate recount.
Controversial Statement Sparks Heated Debate
During a meeting last week, Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia voted to count provisional ballots missing one of two required voter signatures, despite advice from a county attorney citing a state Supreme Court ruling barring such ballots.
“We all know that precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore in this country and people violate laws any time they want,” Ellis-Marseglia said in a clip that rapidly gained traction online. “So for me, if I violate this law, it’s because I want a court to pay attention to it. There is nothing more important than counting votes.”
Ellis-Marseglia Issues Apology Amid Calls for Resignation
Facing a room packed with angry residents, Ellis-Marseglia addressed the controversy, apologizing for her remarks while attempting to clarify her intentions.
“Last Thursday, when I spoke at the meeting that you’re all here about, the passion in my heart got the best of me, and I apologize again for that,” Ellis-Marseglia said.
“That was a hearing, and we were talking about provisional ballots. We were specifically talking about the fact that there were certain provisional ballots where a judge of elections did not sign and did not make sure that a voter signed on the outside envelope. To me, it was frustrating and unconscionable that we would have to take away somebody’s vote not because they made a mistake, but because an employee, one of our members … one of the judges of elections didn’t know what to do or forgot or made a mistake. That issue that I spoke on has now gone viral from my comments. It was genuinely not the best words. I would do it all again. I feel terrible about it. I should have been more clear, please, I will be more clear in the future.”
Recount Tensions Rise as Legal Clarity Remains Elusive
Ellis-Marseglia defended her comments, attributing her frustrations to broader judicial decisions.
“When I inartfully spoke and used the word precedent when I was talking about provisional ballots, I was referring to the United States Supreme Court, and the precedent that has been lost on many issues including Roe v. Wade,” she explained, prompting loud groans from the audience.
Her subsequent apology emphasized respect for Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court despite her earlier remarks. “Unfortunately, I took my frustration out on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, many of whom are friends of mine who I respect, and whose decisions are complicated and difficult and important,” she said.
Personal Threats Amid Widespread Condemnation
Ellis-Marseglia revealed the backlash had escalated beyond political discourse. I received messages from hundreds of people, and “all of them involved horrible, horrible expletive,” she shared, adding that many messages included threats against her and her family.
The incident has drawn fierce criticism from conservatives. “This is a BLATANT violation of the law and we intend to fight it every step of the way,” Lara Trump wrote in a widely viewed social media post.
Recount Deadline Approaches as Stakes Remain High
As the Senate race recount continues, tensions remain. Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court ruled Monday against counting mail-in ballots lacking correct handwritten dates, further complicating the process.
Gov. Josh Shapiro weighed in, stating, “County officials were damned if they did and damned if they didn’t — likely facing legal action no matter which decision they made on counting.”
With a margin of .24%, Republican David McCormick currently leads Democratic Sen. Bob Casey. The recount, mandated by state law for margins under .5%, must conclude by Nov. 26.
