A judge ruled otherwise.Quote:
Originally Posted by tomder55
Pa. judge throws out lawsuit over $13M in election funds from Zuckerberg group
A federal judge has dismissed without prejudice the bid of a group of Republican lawmakers and candidates who sued Philadelphia County, Delaware County and Centre County, alleging both GOP candidates and voters are being hurt by the use of nonprofit grant funds from the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL).
“Plaintiffs assert three theories of standing. First, they argue that the CTCL grants disadvantage the plaintiffs because they provide an advantage to progressive and Democrat candidates in the counties where plaintiffs live and vote,” Brann said.
“Second, they argue that, without injunctive relief, the CTCL grants will delegitimize and thus invalidate the elections, consequently resulting in plaintiffs lacking political representation until the election can be re-done. Third, plaintiffs offer the novel theory that they have suffered an injury as a third-party beneficiary to the ‘social contract’ between the federal government and the individual states.”
Brann was not persuaded by any of the three arguments, saying they relied on a “highly attenuated causal chain of events”, and that there was no guarantee that increased voter participating would only be in support of progressive candidates, let alone be enough to decide the outcome of the election.
“Plaintiffs’ appear to allege only that their right to vote has been infringed because it now might be more difficult for them to elect their preferred candidate,” Brann said, adding that the plaintiffs’ case was more accurately termed as a “generalized grievance.”
“Though plaintiffs have done a valiant job of disguising it, the only interest they have identified is of a general nature – that plaintiffs’ ability to influence state and federal elections will be diluted if (Centre County and others) take steps that might result in increased voter turnout,” Brann stated.
“The implication that increased voter turnout is inherently beneficial to progressive candidates is dubious at best,” Brann wrote. “And the court finds this assumption far too dependent on the actions of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of voters to premise standing.”
Brann then dismissed the plaintiffs’ case.
