As we’ve reported, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has been largely silent as election officials in his state have openly defied the law and continued to count undated or incorrectly dated ballots in an effort to swing the Senate race from Republican Dave McCormick to Democrat Bob Casey.

On Monday, the state’s Supreme Court had enough and ruled 4-3 that these election-stealing shenanigans must stop. Now, Shapiro is finally admitting that the game is up, and that there are actually laws that must be followed.

About time, Gov.:

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is siding with the state's high court after the justices ruled that faulty mail-in ballots can’t be counted amid a contentious recount, delivering a victory to Republican Party officials.

The state Supreme Court reaffirmed its prior decision in a 4–3 ruling Monday that counties cannot count incorrectly dated or undated ballots. The decision singled out the Boards of Elections in Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia County, whom they said "SHALL COMPLY with the prior rulings of this Court in which we have clarified" for mail-in and absentee ballots in their Nov. 1 ruling.

"Any insinuation that our laws can be ignored or do not matter is irresponsible and does damage to faith in our electoral process," said Shapiro, a Democrat. "The rule of law matters in Pennsylvania. … It is critical for counties in both parties to respect it with both their rhetoric and their actions."

I suppose the expression that would apply here is “better late than never.” Still, he did not exactly show strong leadership here, as former George. W Bush Press Secretary Ari Fleischer made clear:

Huge missed opportunity for PA Governor Shapiro to have shown leadership and independence.

Instead, he waited for the PA Supreme Court to throw out the illegal ballots and only then did he speak.

Josh Shapiro and the Election Heist https://t.co/tHkWJ6mKnh

— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) November 18, 2024

Background: BREAKING: PA Supreme Court Stops the Steal

Could We Please Talk About '28 Dem Frontrunner Josh Shapiro Helping to Try and Steal a Senate Seat?

Leading up to the court’s latest decision, officials had been openly defiant and said they didn’t really care about the “rule of law.” Remember, folks, Republicans are the “danger to democracy”:

The high court initially ruled on Nov. 1 that mail-in ballots without formally required signatures or dates should not be counted. Democratic-led election boards, however — including in Philadelphia, Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Centre County — balked at the ruling and voted to include such ballots in the recount. 

"People violate laws any time they want," Democratic Bucks County commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia said last week, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. "So, for me, if I violate this law it’s because I want a court to pay attention. There’s nothing more important than counting votes."

I suppose we should give Shapiro a nod for finally respecting the rules, but my applause is decidedly unenthusiastic. The supposed ’28 Democrat front-runner for president showed that when his state needed someone with integrity to step up, he was MIA.

Josh Shapiro trying to steal a Senate seat in Pennsylvania! We won’t forget in 2028 when this THIEF tries to run for president!https://t.co/T8UJzgNibT

— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) November 18, 2024