Members of the Democratic Caucus of the Senate of Pennsylvania
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No. 22O155 _______________________________________________________ In the Supreme Court of the United States _______________________________________________________ STATE OF TEXAS Plaintiff, v. COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, et al., Defendants. _______________________________________________________ MOTION FOR LEAVE (1) TO FILE AMICUS BRIEF OF MEMBERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS OF THE SENATE OF PENNSYLVANIA AS AMICUS CURIAE IN SUPPORT OF DEFENDANTS AND IN OPPOSITION TO THE PLAINTIFF’S LEAVE TO FILE A COMPLAINT, AND (2) TO DO SO IN AN UNBOUND FORMAT ON 8 1⁄2-BY-11-INCH PAPER UNDER RULE 33.2, AND (3) TO DO SO WITHOUT TEN DAYS’ ADVANCE NOTICE TO THE PARTIES AS ORDINARILY REQUIRED UNDER RULE 37.2(a) _______________________________________________________ To the Honorable Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States Jay Costa, Jr., Esq. (PA ID # 56677) Democratic Caucus Senate of Pennsylvania Room 535 Main Capitol Building Harrisburg, PA 17120 (717) 787-3736 (717) 783-5198 (fax) [email protected] Counsel for Amici Curiae December 11, 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS MOTION FOR LEAVE (1) TO FILE AMICUS BRIEF OF MEMBERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS OF THE SENATE OF PENNSYLVANIA AS AMICUS CURIAE IN SUPPORT OF DEFENDANTS AND IN OPPOSITION TO THE PLAINTIFF’S LEAVE TO FILE A COMPLAINT, AND (2) TO DO SO IN AN UNBOUND FORMAT ON 8 1⁄2-BY-11-INCH PAPER UNDER RULE 33.2, AND (3) TO DO SO WITHOUT TEN DAYS’ ADVANCE NOTICE TO THE PARTIES AS ORDINARILY REQUIRED UNDER RULE 37.2(a) .................................................... ii TABLE OF AUTHORITIES .......................................................................................... v SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT .............................................................................. 4 ARGUMENT .................................................................................................................. 5 I. This case is not appropriate for this Court’s original jurisdiction. ........................ 5 II. There is no case or controversy required under Article III. ................................... 9 1. Texas lacks standing ........................................................................................... 9 2. This matter is moot ........................................................................................... 11 III.Texas is not entitled to the extraordinary preliminary injunction it seeks. ........ 12 IV. Texas’s attempt to disenfranchise voters across the United States is a harmful affront to the public interest of Pennsylvania and the nation. ............................ 15 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................. 17 No. 22O155 _______________________________________________________ In the Supreme Court of the United States _______________________________________________________ STATE OF TEXAS Plaintiff, v. COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, et al., Defendants. _______________________________________________________ MOTION FOR LEAVE (1) TO FILE AMICUS BRIEF OF MEMBERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS OF THE SENATE OF PENNSYLVANIA AS AMICUS CURIAE IN SUPPORT OF DEFENDANTS AND IN OPPOSITION TO THE PLAINTIFF’S LEAVE TO FILE A COMPLAINT, AND (2) TO DO SO IN AN UNBOUND FORMAT ON 8 1⁄2-BY-11-INCH PAPER UNDER RULE 33.2, AND (3) TO DO SO WITHOUT TEN DAYS’ ADVANCE NOTICE TO THE PARTIES AS ORDINARILY REQUIRED UNDER RULE 37.2(a) _______________________________________________________ To the Honorable Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States Jay Costa, Jr., Esq. (PA ID # 56677) Democratic Caucus Senate of Pennsylvania Room 535 Main Capitol Building Harrisburg, PA 17120 (717) 787-3736 (717) 783-5198 (fax) [email protected] Counsel for Amici Curiae December 11, 2020 ii Movant, the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus “Democratic Caucus”,1 respectfully seeks leave to file the brief as amici curiae in support of the filing of the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Opposition to Motion for Leave to file Bill of Complaint and Motion for Preliminary Injunction, Temporary Restraining Order, or Stay to the Emergency Application for Writ of Injunction Pending the filing and Disposition of a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari filed in the above-captioned matter. Amicus curiae Democratic Caucus submits this motion and accompanying brief. Democratic Caucus seeks to present herein and in the accompanying brief a unique perspective concerning the actions of the members of the Senate Democratic Caucus of the Pennsylvania General Assembly concerning the November 3, 2020 General Election, certification of the results of that election by the Secretary of the Commonwealth and voting of the Pennsylvania Presidential Electors in the selection of the President of the United States as provided by the Constitutions of the United States and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the laws of the United States and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 1 The following members of the Senate Democratic Caucus seek to join this brief in full: Senator Jay Costa, Senator Vincent Hughes, Senator Anthony Williams, Senator Wayne Fontana, Senator Maria Collett, Senator John Blake, Senator Katie Muth, Senator Lisa Boscola, Senator Jim Brewster, Senator Amanda Cappelletti, Senator Carolyn Comitta, Senator Art Haywood, Senator John Kane, Senator Timothy Kearney, Senator John Sabatina, Senator Kikil Saval, Senator Judith Schwank, Senator Sharif Street, Senator Christine Tartaglione and Senator Lindsey Williams. iii Amicus curiae requests permission to file its proposed brief on 8 ½ inch by 11 inch paper pursuant to Rule 33.2. Time does not allow for the printing of booklets under rule 33.1 due to the Court’s expedited briefing schedule. Accordingly, amicus respectfully moves this Court to accept the filing of its amicus brief using the format specified in Rule 33.2. Additionally, amicus curiae requests permission to file its proposed brief without 10 days’ advance notice to the parties of amicus’ intent to file as ordinarily required by Rule 37.2(a). Because of the expedited briefing schedule, it was not feasible to provide 10 days’ notice to the parties. For these reasons, amicus curiae respectfully requests the Court’s leave to file the attached amicus brief containing 3,867 words, for leave to file the brief pursuant to Rule 33.2, and for leave to file the amicus brief without 10 days’ advance notice to the parties of amicus’ intent to file as ordinarily required by Rule 37.2(a). Respectfully submitted, /s/ Jay Costa, Jr. Jay Costa, Jr., Esq. (PA ID # 56677) Democratic Caucus Senate of Pennsylvania Room 535 Main Capitol Building Harrisburg, PA 17120 (717) 787-3736 (717) 783-5198 (fax) [email protected] Counsel for Amici Curiae Dated: December 11, 2020 iv TABLE OF AUTHORITIES Cases Alabama v. Arizona, 291 U.S. 286 (1934) ................................................................. 6, 9 Alabama v. North Carolina, 560 U.S. 330 (2010) ....................................................... 13 Allen v. State Bd. of Elections, 393 U.S. 544 (1969) ................................................... 16 Andino v. Middleton, 20A55 (Oct. 5, 2020) ................................................................. 12 Arizona v. New Mexico, 425 U.S. 794 (1976) ................................................................ 8 Barnette v. Lawrence, No. 2:20-cv-5477 (E.D. Pa. 2020) ............................................................................... 8 Colorado v. Kansas, 320 U.S. 383 (1943) .................................................................... 14 Connor v. Williams, 404 U.S. 549 (1972) .................................................................... 15 Delaware v. New York, 385 U.S. 895 (1966) ................................................................. 9 Florida v. Georgia, 138 S. Ct. 2502 (2018) .................................................................. 14 Illinois v. City of Milwaukee, 406 U.S. 91 (1972) ......................................................... 5 In Donald Trump for President, Inc. v. Boockvar, 2020 WL 5997680 (W.D. Pa. Oct. 10, 2020) ..................................................................................................................... 8 In re Canvass of Absentee & Mail-in Ballots of November 3, 2020 Gen. Election, 29 WAP 2020, __ A.3d__, 2020 WL 6866415 (Pa. Nov. 23, 2020) ................................. 8 In re Nov. 3, 2020 Election, __ A.3d __, 2020 WL 6252803, *1 (Pa. Oct. 23, 2020) ..... 8 Kansas v. Colorado, 533 U.S. 1 (2001) ...................................................................... 7, 9 Kansas v. Nebraska, 574 U.S. 445 (2015) ................................................................... 14 Louisiana v. Texas, 176 U.S. 1 (1900) ........................................................................... 5 v Mississippi v. Louisiana, 506 U.S. 73 (1992) ............................................................ 5, 6 Nebraska v. Colorado, 136 S.Ct. 1034 (2016) ............................................................... 9 North Dakota v. Minnesota, 263 U.S. 365 (1923) ......................................................... 6 Pa. Democratic Party v. Boockvar, 238 A.3d 345 (Pa. 2020) .................................. 8, 11 Pennsylvania v. New Jersey, 426 U.S. 660 (1973) ...................................................... 10 Republican Party of Pa. v. Boockvar, No. 20-542 (U.S.) ............................................... 1 Rucho v. Common Cause,