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Tim Mannello
Williamsport
It's time for Representatives Meuser and Thompson to go, and here's why.
In Regime Change, Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan show how loyalty inside Donald Trump's second term orbit narrowed to one test: insisting the 2020 election was stolen. This claim became a requirement for influence in Trump's circle, even though courts, audits and bipartisan reviews found no evidence of fraud that could have changed the result.
Despite these findings, the stolen election narrative continued shaping Republican politics in Pennsylvania. Representatives G.T. Thompson and Dan Meuser signaled their acceptance of this test through their votes, statements and public actions.
Thompson voted against certifying Electoral College results in states Trump contested, directly endorsing the stolen election claim. He repeated doubts about election integrity, reinforcing the idea that the 2020 process was too flawed to trust.
Meuser did the same. He objected to certification, amplified claims of irregularities and backed investigations built on the assumption that something had gone fundamentally wrong. By treating these allegations as credible despite the lack of evidence, he aligned himself with Trump's demand that Republicans publicly affirm the stolen election narrative.
Together, their actions show how Trump's loyalty test extended into Congress. Their votes and statements embraced a narrative repeatedly rejected by courts and independent reviews, turning a disproven claim into a badge of political allegiance.
The core problem is simple: Meuser and Thompson supported a claim that had already been debunked. By rejecting certified results and repeating allegations that had been dismissed, they chose loyalty to a false narrative over loyalty to the Constitution. When elected officials treat verified elections as negotiable, they weaken trust in the system they are supposed to protect.
Over the past 15 months, they have continued supporting efforts if the Trump Administration aimed at influencing election administration in ways that could advantage Republican outcomes in the midterms. Their ongoing willingness to cast doubt on legitimate results -- and to interfere with impartial election processes-- shows their 2020 objections were not a one time lapse but an ongoing posture.
Add to this that Thompson and Meuser have backed every major Trump initiative -- like tariffs, the 'forever" war in Iran and plans for mass deportations -- and they have never spoken out about Trump's shameful enrichment at taxpayer expense through his devastation of the emoluments clause of the Constitution. And because of all these slaps in the voters' face, Thompson has been rewarded with the powerful chairmanship of the House Agriculture Committee, where he sides with Big Ag, while Meuser gets to keep voting on bills tied to his own investments.
In my view, their constant flattery and opportunism make them a real threat to free and fair elections. They follow power instead of principle, and that puts our democratic system at risk. We need representatives who actually listen to the people. Voters want lower prices, real peace, protection from illegal arrest, freedom from rule by executive order and strong democratic integrity. Leaders should fight for those basic rights, not chase favor from whoever holds power.
The time for Representatives Meuser and Thompson to go is now.