US Election 2020: Donald Trump wins first legal battle in Pennsylvania

Washington, Nov 5: US President Donald Trump scored the first legal battle in the battleground state of Pennsylvania wherein an appellate judge has ordered that poll watchers must be allowed within six feet of counting of votes.

"Big legal win in Pennsylvania," Trump said in a tweet soon after the court gave the ruling. Trump is currently leading in Pennsylvania, but his vote count has reduced considerably over the last one day. Trump Campaign Manager Bill Stepien told reporters during a conference call that the court ruling would allow them to review the counting that has already occurred as well.

"As a result of this incredible legal victory, the lower court’s order has been reversed. Now, according to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 'all candidates, watchers, or candidate representatives' shall 'be permitted to be present for the canvassing process' and 'be permitted to observe all aspects of the canvassing process within 6 feet, while adhering to all COVID-19 protocols, including, wearing masks and maintaining social distancing," said Justin Clark, the Deputy Manager of the Trump Campaign.

“In a major victory for election integrity, election transparency, all Pennsylvania voters, and the rule of law, the Trump Campaign has prevailed in our suit challenging our Republican poll watchers’ complete lack of any meaningful access to the ballot processing and counting process,” he said. Earlier, the Trump Campaign had reached out to court demanding that counting of votes be halted until courts can enforce rules that permit campaign observers to watch the ballots being opened and counted.

The Trump Campaign had alleged that its poll watchers were being denied close up access to observe counting of votes. "The eyes of the country are on Pennsylvania, but Pennsylvania Democrats, led by their radical left Secretary of State whose only goal is to steal this election from President Trump, has kept eyes off of the absentee ballot counting process. That ends now in Philadelphia,” Clark alleged.

"For the good of the nation, every Pennsylvania county should follow the lead of this judge and provide access for observers to ensure transparency and integrity in Pennsylvania. That is the only way to ensure a fair, transparent election in which all Pennsylvania voters can have confidence their vote will count," he said.

As per the latest report, with 91 per cent of the voting, Trump has garnered 50.4 per cent of the total votes counted and his Democratic rival Joe Biden has 48.3 per cent of the votes. Trump’s lead is 135,626 votes, which has dropped considerably in the last few rounds of counting. Trump had a lead of 400,000 on Wednesday.

“The media and the insiders are in the city, they’ve been trying to count Donald Trump out for years,” Trump Campaign Manager Bill Stepien told reporters on a conference call on Thursday. "We will win Pennsylvania. I have as much confidence today as I had yesterday. We also won a major victory in Pennsylvania this morning that helps ensure the transparency and openness that Pennsylvania deserves is held true,” he asserted.