“We have to get your governor of Pennsylvania to start opening things up a bit,” Trump said during a speech in Allentown.
President Donald Trump, is set to visit the state Thursday. Ahead of the trip, Trump stoked the conflict, tweeting that Pennsylvanians “want their freedom now.”
A spokesperson for Philadelphia's elections commission, Nick Custodio, said there was “no playbook for holding an election during a pandemic.”
Lawmakers also used public money to buy fancy furniture, have locks changed and reserve choice parking spots.
Polling indicates that Trump’s public complaints about mail voting have turned some Republicans against the practice.
Education Secretary Pedro Rivera, testifying in a Senate committee hearing, acknowledged that schools will need additional aid to respond to various challenges posed by school closures and the need to contain the virus.
The normally mild-mannered Democrat fired back after several GOP-controlled counties declared themselves in open rebellion against his restrictions on businesses and movement.
“No apology is going to bring back my baby or any of the children in that house or our brothers, husbands, sisters" or other victims, MOVE member Sue Africa said.
The GOP lawmakers' strategy echoes earlier attempts in some states to curb the powers of Democratic governors. But this round comes with added health and political risk.
The area is home to nearly 2.7 million Pennsylvanians.
