PHILADELPHIA — A federal appeals court on Friday rejected an appeal of President Donald Trump's last significant legal challenge to Pennsylvania's election results, setting the stage for his campaign to potentially appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
A three-judge panel of the Philadelphia-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit declined to overturn the case, which had been dismissed less than a week ago by a federal judge in Williamsport who called it a "Frankenstein's monster" of claims lacking in evidence.
"Free, fair elections are the lifeblood of our democracy. Charges of unfairness are serious," Circuit Judge Stephanos Bibas wrote for the panel Friday. "But calling an election unfair does not make it so. Charges require specific allegations and then proof. We have neither here."
Bibas, a Trump appointee, was joined on the panel but Chief Circuit Judge D. Brooks Smith and Circuit Judge Michael A. Chagares, both of whom were appointed to the court by George W. Bush.
