The Republican National Committee (RNC) and the Trump campaign are calling out Pennsylvania for what they say is “voter suppression” at early voting spots. They’re accusing local authorities of trying to keep conservative voters from casting ballots freely. This all came to a head after a Trump supporter was arrested for, as she put it, “encouraging people to stay in line and vote.”
Here’s what went down: Val Biancaniello, a GOP State Committeewoman, was at a Delaware County polling site telling people, “Do not get out of line!” Biancaniello was arrested while doing so, and RNC Chairman Michael Whatley shared a video of it on social media. He claimed that this arrest was just one example of voters being turned away, especially in areas that lean conservative. “This is voter suppression from the left.” Whatley said, “Do not let them turn you away. GO VOTE!”
A video of the arrest features a shocked bystander who exclaims, “Wow, that’s crazy! You locked her up?”
Afterward, Biancaniello posted her own message, insisting she didn’t break any laws. She explained that she was only encouraging people to stay and vote, claiming some Democratic workers were telling people to go to another location with supposedly shorter lines. But when voters arrived there, they found that there were no more mail-in ballot applications left—another reason, she says, it’s all about keeping people from voting.
The RNC added that they’d already sent a letter to Pennsylvania’s secretary of the commonwealth, calling out multiple reports of voter discouragement across the state. The letter claimed that voters in some areas were told that computers were down, voting hours would end early, or that mail ballots wouldn’t be counted.
Delaware County has a different view of the situation. They claim that Biancaniello was not the peaceful supporter she claimed to be. A spokesperson said she was arrested for being “disruptive” and trying to influence people who were waiting in line to vote. Other voters complained about her efforts to “encourage” them, saying her behavior was inappropriate.
