Politics & Government

Boscola to Senate GOP Colleagues: 'I Told You So'

State Sen. Lisa Boscola lauds Voter ID court decision, says she called for delay in implementation before law was adopted in March.

 

State Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-18, issued a statement Tuesday applauding Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson’s ruling to delay implementation of the controversial Pennsylvania Voter ID Law until after this year's presidential election.

In her statement, Boscola offered a reminder that she called for delayed implementation of the law before it was adopted in March, in essence telling her Senate GOP colleagues: “I told you so.”

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Here is the full text of the statement:

“While I understand and support efforts to deter voter fraud, the state has demonstrated an inability to ensure individuals have access to the proper ID.

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“Since enactment, both PennDOT and State Department officials have given confusing and unreliable advice to those seeking information on the new law. There was no attempt to gauge how big of a problem poll workers would have on their hands, and no sense of how many voters would be disenfranchised.

“When the Senate approved the Voter ID legislation in March, I stood up on the Senate floor and offered an amendment to delay implementation of the law. I argued that it made sense to take the necessary time, work out the kinks and get it right. Waiting a year would have allowed for the law to be implemented more efficiently and would have given voters more time to understand the requirements and obtain the necessary identification. Delaying implementation would have also removed the relentless criticism that the law itself was nothing more than a political tool aimed at rigging this year’s presidential election.

“Waiting a year would have solved all of those issues. The judge’s reasoned decision today does just that.”

Boscola represents portions of Northampton, Lehigh and Monroe counties, including Bethlehem, Hellertown, Nazareth and Bethlehem, Lower Nazareth, Lower Saucon, Plainfield and Upper Nazareth townships.


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