Penn Capital Star reported this morning that “state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler, has filed formal articles of impeachment against Gov. Tom Wolf for his management of the statewide COVID-19 emergency.
‘While these are certainly unprecedented and chaotic times, Gov. Tom Wolf must be held accountable for his actions that have harmed so many of our citizens and violated so many of our rights,’ Metcalfe, the chairman of the House Energy & Environmental Resources Committee, said in a statement Tuesday.
‘Wolf’s unconstitutional dictates and Orwellian overreach into our lives and the marketplace has caused immeasurable harm and hardship for far more Pennsylvanians than the virus!’ “
The Pennsylvania Constitution requires a simple majority in the House, to force an impeachment trial in the Senate.
The Pennsylvania House currently has 109 Republicans, 93 Democrats and one vacancy (thanks to former Speaker Mike Turzai’s recent resignation. So assuming that all the House members are all on the floor at the time of the vote, it’s going to take at least eight Republican “Nays” to prevent Wolf’s impeachment.
To get rid of Wolf, Republicans would have a steeper hill to climb in the Senate.
Here’s what the state constitution says about impeachment, “All impeachments shall be tried by the Senate. When sitting for that purpose the Senators shall be upon oath or affirmation.
No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.”
The Senate has 50 members. 28 are Republicans, 21 are Democrats and one is an Independent who caucuses with the Republicans. So to get to the 34 votes they would need to remove Wolf from office, the Republicans would have to peel off five votes among Democrats. One Democratic senator who could conceivably be a candidate to vote for Wolf’s removal, might be Daylin Leach. Leach, as you may recall, recently lost a primary election, in no small measure due to the efforts of Tom Wolf.
Then there’s James Brewster and Judy Scwank – both Democrats, both of whom are facing opposition in November. They recently voted with the Republican majority on a resolution that rebuked Wolf’s business closings, which are the basis of the attempted impeachment measure.
Then there’s Lisa Boscola, a Democrat who represents SD-18 and includes parts of Lehigh and Northhampton counties. One source described her as “always independent.”
And finally there’s Andy Dinniman. He’s a Democrat who represents SD-19, which includes parts of Chester County. Dinniman is retiring at the end of this term, and has not always been known to be on the best terms with the governor.
What’s really going to happen?
Eight House Republicans are probably NOT going to vote with the Democrats to prevent the Senate from having to conduct an impeachment trial. And four Senate Democrats are probably not going to be inclined to vote for his ouster, which would set up the scenario whereby Leach could cast the deciding vote.
The key word is Probably.
Tom Wolf has prevented more deaths by his restrictions. Metcalfe is playing to Trump and care less about the lives of Pennsylvanians.
If Leach doesn’t support Wolf, he can kiss his career goodbye.
Leach has a career?