The Billionaire Power Grab: Why Pennsylvanians Must Vote YES to Retain Our Judges

As Pennsylvanians prepare to head to the polls on November 4, 2025, a quiet but critical election looms—one that could determine the future of our democracy, our schools, and our courts. At stake are the retention votes of three Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices: Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht. These justices, elected in 2015, are now facing an unprecedented, billionaire-funded misinformation campaign designed to remove them from office and tip the balance of the court.

The MAGA Billionaire Behind the Curtain

At the center of this campaign is Jeffrey Yass, Pennsylvania’s richest man and a major Republican megadonor. Yass, co-founder of Susquehanna International Group and a major investor in TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, has poured over $1.25 million into political action committees (PACs) like Students First and Commonwealth Partners to bankroll a 'Vote No in November' campaign targeting the three justices up for retention. Yass’s influence doesn’t stop at the judiciary. He has spent over $75 million since 2017 to reshape Pennsylvania politics, funding Republican candidates and causes that align with his libertarian ideology. His political machine is modeled after similar efforts in states like Wisconsin, where billionaires attempted to buy control of the courts—and failed. Now, Yass is trying to replicate that strategy here in the Keystone State.

The Misinformation Machine

The campaign against the justices has been marked by a flood of deceptive mailers, social media ads, and robocalls. One mailer falsely accused the justices of gerrymandering congressional districts to favor Democrats, using a map that was actually drawn by Republicans and later struck down by the court as unconstitutional. The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania has condemned these tactics as 'deliberately false' and 'an abuse of the system.' The goal is clear: to mislead voters into thinking these justices are partisan activists, when in fact they have been recommended for retention by the nonpartisan Pennsylvania Bar Association based on their qualifications and judicial performance.

Why Retention Matters

Judicial retention elections are designed to ensure accountability while preserving judicial independence. Unlike regular elections, these are nonpartisan yes-or-no votes on whether a judge should serve another 10-year term. Historically, Pennsylvania voters have retained justices unless there is clear evidence of misconduct or incompetence—which is not the case here. If these justices are not retained, their seats will become vacant, and temporary replacements will be appointed by the governor with approval from the Republican-controlled state Senate. This could lead to a 2-2 deadlock on the court, paralyzing its ability to rule on critical issues like voting rights, reproductive freedom, and public education.

The Charter School Agenda

Yass’s interest in the judiciary is not just ideological—it’s financial. He is a leading proponent of school privatization and has funneled tens of millions into pro-charter school PACs like the Commonwealth Children’s Choice Fund and the School Freedom Fund. These groups advocate for school voucher programs that divert public tax dollars to private and charter schools, many of which lack public oversight and accountability. In fact, Yass-backed legislation like the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS) aims to funnel $300 million in public funds to private schools, a move critics say will further defund already struggling public schools.

What’s at Stake

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is the final arbiter on issues that affect every resident: from fair elections and redistricting to school funding, reproductive rights, and environmental protections. The court has stood as a bulwark against extremist policies and has upheld the rights of voters, workers, and families. Allowing a single billionaire to buy influence over our courts would set a dangerous precedent. It would erode public trust in our judiciary and threaten the very foundation of our democracy.

Vote YES to Protect Our Courts

This November, Pennsylvanians must reject the lies and manipulation of MAGA billionaires like Jeff Yass. We must stand up for judicial independence, public education, and the rule of law.

✅ Vote YES to retain Supreme Court Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht.

✅ Vote YES to retain Commonwealth Court Judge Michael Wojcik.

✅ Vote YES to retain Superior Court Judge Alice Beck Dubow.

✅ Vote YES to retain Cumberland County Common Pleas Court Judge Jessica Brewbaker.

✅ Vote YES to protect our courts from billionaire interference.

✅ Vote YES for a fair and independent judiciary.

Read WITF.org article here.