Pa. Dems Charge GOP Is Trying To Rig Electoral College Voting
By Pat Loeb
MEDIA, Pa. (CBS) -- A bill to change the way Pennsylvania casts its electoral votes came under fire today, with a group of Democratic politicians demanding that its Republican sponsors withdraw the legislation.
But that's not likely to happen.
State senator Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware County) introduced a bill in February to apportion the state's votes in the Electoral College according to the popular vote, rather than the current winner-take-all system.
But today, former US congressman Joe Sestak likened the plan to an old Tammany Hall political boss sentiment: " 'It doesn't matter what a citizen does with his vote if I can count the votes.' "
The legislation is seen as partisan because, of the 48 states with winner-take-all systems, changes have been proposed in just four -- swing states that went Democratic last year, where apportioned electoral votes would have changed the election outcome.
But Pileggi's spokesman, Erik Arneson, denies partisan intent.
"There is a debate across the country about this, and all we are doing is asking for open, constructive debate," Arneson told KYW Newsradio.
Arneson says if the bill advances in the Pennsylvania legislature, Pileggi would hold public hearings on it.
