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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
12/11/2024 06:51 PM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20190&cosponId=32470&mobile_choice=suppress
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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

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House of Representatives
Session of 2019 - 2020 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: September 23, 2020 10:21 AM
From: Representative Francis X. Ryan
To: All House members
Subject: RESOLUTION ~ CALLING FOR THE IMPEACHMENT OF DAVID N WECHT, JUSTICE OF THE PA SUPREME COURT
 
In the immediate future, I will introduced a resolution calling for the impeachment of David N. Wecht, Justice of the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 
 
As you may recall, Justice Wecht was elected to our Commonwealth’s highest court in one of the most expensive judicial races in our nation’s history.  Since being elected to serve, Justice Wecht has routinely violated his oath of office and, in doing so, engaged in “misbehavior in office.”  Specifically, these articles of impeachment articulate six articles under which Justice Wecht should be removed from office.  They include:
 
  • failing to abide by the Canons of Judicial Ethics embodied in the Pennsylvania Code of Judicial Conduct in League of Women Voters of PA v. Commonwealth;
  • violating Article IV, Section 15 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in League of Women Voters of PA v. Commonwealth;
  • violating Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution of the United States of America in League of Women Voters of PA v. Commonwealth;
  • exercising authority that is solely vested in the legislative branch under Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association v. Pittsburgh;
  • exercising authority that is solely vested in the legislative branch under Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Wolf v. Scarnati; and
  • failing to abide by the Canons of Judicial Ethics embodied in the Pennsylvania Code of Judicial Conduct to disclose his potential bias to the parties in Pennsylvania Democratic Party v. Wolf;
 
These are among the more glaring examples of misconduct by Justice Wecht. 
 
Members should understand that I do not take this first step towards the removal of a Supreme Court Justice lightly.  Regrettably, Justice Wecht’s actions undermine the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary; betray the trust of the People of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and have brought disrepute to the Unified Judicial System.  For these reasons, Justice Wecht is unfit to continue to serve as Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. 
 
Article VI, Section 4 of the Pennsylvania Constitution vests the House of Representatives with “the sole power of impeachment.”  We, the elected Members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, undertook the sacred obligation to defend our Constitutional form of government.  I ask you to take this journey with me by cosponsoring this resolution.  Together we can restore the integrity of our Judicial branch of government.  



Introduced as HR1044


Memo Updated: September 23, 2020 10:22 AM