John --

Good evening and welcome to our Weekend Update.

I want to begin by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. 

First, I want to address the Governor’s latest round of executive orders related to closures, particularly those dealing with small businesses around the Commonwealth. As I speak with our area's hospitals regularly, I am well aware of the surging cases. I am also well aware of how the Governor's administration has not utilized HHS funds appropriately for the purchase of tests.

I come from the real world and these orders are very damaging to many families throughout the Commonwealth and our District. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have advocated and made the case to the Governor's office that the hospitality industry, manufacturing, small business and main street retailers need to be brought to the table and involved in creating plans so they can stay open and safe for their staff and customers. This was not done and continues not to be done.

The words in the Declaration of Independence state, "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." These are very important words which must be reflected in all government policy. Just as I have said about this election, the American people believing in our democracy is as important as democracy itself. Such continued moves, made in isolation, are usually wrong, not the best plans and aren't supported by the public. That just leads to people rejecting them because they are not the best plans and because they are done in isolation. No one denies that Covid-19 is serious, but there is a better way... we can keep people safe and businesses open. Broad government overreach and executive orders have proven they are not the answer.

One of the ways we will move past this is by having access to a vaccine. When the Covid-19 pandemic began, many predicted it might take two years or more for a vaccine to be available to the public. However, here we are, nine months later and Pfizer is delivering a first shipment of the vaccine to states. Other companies are right behind them. That only occurred because of the work of President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Operation Warp Speed. Of course, the mainstream media refuses to acknowledge this work. 

I was in Washington, D.C., this week as Congress continued to work on a new Covid-19 relief fund. We are getting close to getting this necessary piece of legislation to President Donald Trump’s desk. It is sad and downright infuriating that Speaker Nancy Pelosi held up this legislation to not give President Trump a “win” before the election. The American people, especially the people of Pennsylvania who have been significantly impacted by Covid-19 and the economic impact that has resulted from government overreach and shutdowns, deserve to have this relief. It’s a shame Speaker Pelosi chose politics over people.

With that being said, I remain confident we can get a bill passed that will aid small businesses, schools and help support families. I joined Neil Cavuto on Fox Business to discuss this issue. Click here or below to watch.

This week, I signed on to the amicus brief that laid out these various allegations and irregularities. I am disappointed that the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to take up the recent cases regarding the voting irregularities we witnessed on Election Day, particularly in Pennsylvania. We were hoping the U.S. Supreme Court would conduct a review and offer rulings on whether or not the actions taken during the course of this election were lawful and/or constitutional. We are still struggling with the many unanswered questions.

• How could the Governor, Secretary of State and State Supreme Court allow three-day late mail-in ballots to be counted when this was statutorily unlawful?
  
  
• How could the Pennsylvania Secretary of State order that ballots could be cured 24 hours before election day, leading to some counties using it and some not? Clearly, a high-level of inconsistencies favoring some ballots over others.
  
  
• Why were signature requirements applied differently for in-person ballots versus mail-in ballots? (They never verified mail-in ballot signatures)

Millions in Pennsylvania want to know why these actions were taken, were they legal, and will they occur in the next election? It is not arguable that there were inconsistencies in the last election. We can’t have arbitrary and irregular actions taken and then think we have integrity in our election process – they don’t mix. We must have consistent rules, laws and requirements for what constitutes a legal vote. Free and fair elections are not a partisan or political issue. They are important for Republicans, Democrats and for all. The legitimacy of our institutions of government depends upon the trust our people have in our election system.

For those who are critical of these efforts, please remember that the American people deserve to know that our elections are free, fair and have full confidence in our system. I will continue to work to ensure we have honest and fair elections in the future. Regardless of the outcome, we will have a smooth and fair transition of power. 

I spoke to Chris Salcedo on Newsmax TV about these many issues. Click here or below to watch.

As I have stated previously, it is critical that we all support the campaigns of U.S. Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler in Georgia to ensure the GOP retains control of the U.S. Senate. The election will take place on Tuesday, January 5. There are ways to help... even from Pennsylvania.

First, if you would like to support the grassroots efforts in Georgia from the comfort of your own home, you can participate in phone banking. Click here and submit your name, email, and phone number and an NRSC representative will contact you to get you trained and started on the phone banking app. 

Additionally, I have made a personal donation and a donation from our campaign fund of $35,000 to the Georgia Battleground Fund. If you would like to donate further to these very important elections, please click here.

Last but not least, Shelley and I attended a Christmas Party at the White House on Thursday evening. The President and the Frist Lady Melania Trump delivered remarks. It was a great event. (Pictured below with White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany and Congressman Matt Gaetz)

Wishing you all a happy holiday season and Merry Christmas.

Dan Meuser
http://www.meuserforcongress.com/