Cris Dush
Cris Dush | |
---|---|
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 66th district | |
Assumed office January 6, 2015[1] | |
Preceded by | Samuel H. Smith |
Personal details | |
Born | March 1961[2] DuBois, Pennsylvania |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Traci |
Residence | Pine Creek Township |
Occupation | Legislator |
Cris Dush is an American politician and member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. A Republican, he represents the 66th House district, which encompasses Jefferson County and Indiana County.[3][4]
Career before politics
Dush was employed for 16 years as a prison corrections officer.[5]
Career in politics
Attempt to impeach state Supreme Court justices
In March 2018, Dush gained some notoriety for introducing resolutions, co-sponsored by 12 other Republicans state legislators, to impeach four Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices in response to the court's decision to strike down a new Republican-drawn Pennsylvania congressional district map as a partisan gerrymander that violated the state constitution's requirement of "free and equal" elections.[6][7] Dush made this proposal after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request from Republican legislative leaders in Pennsylvania to block the redrawn congressional map.[8] Dush asserted that the justices' decision constituted "misbehavior in office" and was a judicial infringement on legislative power.[7] The attempt to impeach the justices was denounced by Chief Justice Thomas Saylor, and failed House Republican Leader David L. Reed decided not to support it.[9]
2020 election
In November 2019, Dush announced he would not seek a fourth term in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, noting a promise he made to only serve three terms when he was first elected in 2014.[10] In January 2020, Dush said he would seek the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania Auditor General, joining a race against two other Republicans seeking the nomination.[11] The next month, however, Dush left that race and announced that he would run for the state Senate instead,[12] for the 25th district seat left open by the retirement of Joe Scarnati.[13]
Accusations of antisemitism
In 2020, Dush faced accusations of antisemitism after comparing Governor Tom Wolf's handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Pennsylvania to Nazi Germany. A group of Jewish organizations, including the Philadelphia branch of the Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, condemned Dush's comments as "offensive and wrong."[14][15]
Social issues
Dush opposed proposals by Democratic Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman to legalize the adult use of marijuana in Pennsylvania.[5]
References
- ^ "SESSION OF 2015 - 199TH OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY - No. 1" (PDF). Legislative Journal. Pennsylvania House of Representatives. 2015-01-06.
- ^ "Historical Biographies - Chris Dush". Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- ^ "Cris Dush Historical Biography". Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
- ^ "Representative Cris Dush". Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
- ^ a b Baer, John. "Lt. Gov. Fetterman's weed tour takes some hits". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
- ^ Mark Scolforo, GOP plan to impeach 4 Pennsylvania justices remains in limbo, Associated Press (April 21, 2018).
- ^ a b Sommer, Will (2018-03-20). "Pennsylvania GOP moves to oust judges over gerrymandering decision". The Hill. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
- ^ Barnes, Robert (2018-03-19). "Supreme Court refuses to stop new congressional maps in Pennsylvania". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
- ^ Katie Meyer, Pennsylvania Chief Justice Criticizes Impeachment Moves, NPR (March 22, 2018).
- ^ Caruso, Stephen (November 26, 2019). "Dush announces retirement in 2020; third lawmaker to call it quits this November". Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
- ^ Cassie Miller. Pa. Republican Rep Cris Dush joins race for Auditor General, Pennsylvania Capital-Star (January 22, 2020).
- ^ Joy Norwood, Rep. Dush talks about decision to run for Senate, Jeffersonian Democrat (March 3, 2020).
- ^ "Rep. Dush seeks Scarnati's 25th District Senate seat". Williamsport Sun-Gazette. February 15, 2020.
- ^ Oster, Marcy (2020-05-04). "Pa. lawmaker compares governor to Nazi Germany over coronavirus handling". The Forward. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
- ^ Palmer, Ewan (2020-05-05). "GOP PENNSYLVANIA LAWMAKER COMPARES GOV. TOM WOLF'S HANDLING OF CORONAVIRUS TO THE NAZI PARTY". Newsweek. Retrieved 2020-05-05.