(RepublicanInformer.com)- The only Republican on Philadelphia’s election board will be resigning in January to become the next president and CEO of the government watchdog group the Committee of Seventy.
Al Schmidt, who was singled out for attacks by former President Donald Trump over election integrity in Philadelphia, announced on Tuesday that he was stepping down in January rather than remain in place until his term ends in 2023.
After Schmidt announced his resignation, Trump attacked him again, calling him a RINO and celebrating his resignation as “good news.” Trump called Schmidt “a disaster” in dealing with election fraud and irregularities in Philadelphia.
In his new position with the Committee of Seventy, Schmidt will be “combatting lies” about the 2020 election. In an interview on Tuesday, Schmidt said he is excited to have the opportunity to continue the fight against “election disinformation” which he said threatens “our democracy.”
Schmidt is expected to resign effective January 2. On Monday he met with Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney about his potential replacement, however did not reveal details of their conversation. The mayor will nominate someone to complete Schmidt’s term and the City Council will then vote on the nominee.
Since the 2020 election, Schmidt was the target of repeated personal attacks from Trump. After Schmidt appeared on CNN not long after the election, Trump tweeted that Schmidt was being used by the news media “to explain how honest things were” in Philadelphia’s election. Trump slammed Schmidt for refusing to see “the mountain of corruption & dishonesty.”
Schmidt had initially announced in January that he would not seek reelection in 2023. At the time, he said his decision had nothing to do with Trump’s attacks, adding that letting Trump drive his decisions would “be like capitulating to the psychological terrorists.”
In a hearing before the Senate’s Rules Committee in October, Schmidt testified that after the 2020 election, threats were made against the lives of his three children. He said the threats tapered off but built up again after Republican state lawmakers began pushing for an audit of Pennsylvania’s 2020 election results.
