A group of Pennsylvania state legislators have petitioned the Supreme Court for the right to sue President Biden over his election executive order. The legislators, consisting of 27 Republicans, are challenging Biden's March 2021 Executive Order 14019 on 'promoting access to voting.'
The lawmakers argue that the executive order is essentially a partisan effort to boost voter turnout among specific demographics to benefit the president's political party and re-election campaign. They contend that such actions by the executive branch are unconstitutional since Congress has not passed any laws authorizing such measures.
In their petition filed on Tuesday, the legislators emphasized the importance of their role in overseeing federal elections as outlined in the Elections Clause and Electors Clause of the Constitution. They claim that without standing in this case, they cannot fulfill their duty to prevent federal and state executive overreach in Pennsylvania's election laws.
Biden's Executive Order 14019 instructs various government departments and agencies to collaborate with state and local officials to protect voting rights, eliminate barriers to voting, and expand voter registration efforts. The legislators' attorney argues that the order goes beyond its scope by directing federal agencies to engage in voter registration activities that should be the responsibility of state legislatures.
The legislators assert that Biden's executive order infringes on their constitutional rights to participate in crafting rules governing federal elections. They argue that the outcome of this case could have significant implications for future elections and the balance of power in the country.
The Supreme Court, which receives thousands of petitions annually, is expected to review the legislators' request for standing in this case. The Justice Department and White House have not yet commented on the matter.
