The Third Circuit Court of Appeals granted President Donald Trump’s campaign request Monday for an expedited review of a lower court’s decision that dismissed the campaign’s lawsuit over voting in Pennsylvania.
Jenna Ellis, a lawyer for the campaign, tweeted the court record Monday. The campaign was required to submit its legal brief before 4 p.m. Monday, while the defendants, which includes Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, must submit briefs by 4 p.m. Tuesday.
????NEW: Third Circuit Court of Appeals grants expedited review for Team Trump’s appeal from Pennsylvania. pic.twitter.com/LKJDnPGRSn
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) November 23, 2020
The appeal doesn’t ask the court to block Pennsylvania counties from certifying votes, according to CNBC. Rather, the appeal asks the court to allow the campaign to file a second amended lawsuit, which a judge effectively prevented them from doing after Saturday’s ruling, according to the same report. (RELATED: Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rules Against Trump Campaign In Ballot Observers Claim)
U.S. District Judge Matthew W. Brann dismissed the campaign’s lawsuit Saturday night that sought to block the certification of election results in Pennsylvania.
The suit argued Republicans were disadvantaged in the election because some counties, mostly Democrat, allowed “ballot curing” while Republican counties did not allow the practice. The suit also alleged that poll workers must have pre-canvassed the ballots in violation of state law since some Philadelphia voters were forewarned that their ballots needed to be cured or faced rejection.
The Trump campaign sought to block the certification of results based on the allegations. However, Brann dismissed the claims, ruling that the suit relied on “strained legal arguments without merit and speculative accusations” and that the suit was set to disenfranchise thousands of voters.