Note: Given the amount of existing research on DeMarco, we have conducted a streamlined vet of him.
2023: Republican Sam DeMarco Was Reelected To His At-Large Seat On The Allegheny County Council. “Democrat Sara Innamorato won a hotly contested race against Republican Joe Rockey to become the first female elected to be Allegheny County executive. She will replace Rich Fitzgerald, who has served at that post for the past 12 years and could not run again because of term limits. Longtime Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. narrowly defeated challenger Matt Dugan to secure his seventh term. In other countywide races, several incumbents won contested elections to keep their positions on county council. Democrat Bethany Hallam of Pittsburgh’s Brighton Heights and Republican Sam DeMarco of North Fayette retained their at-large county council seats.” [TribLive, 11/8/23]
Allegheny County’s Board Of Elections Was Made Up Of The County Executive And The Two At-Large County Council Members. “The Board of Elections is made up of three members – the County Executive and the two at-large County Council Members, pursuant to the PA Election Code, Home Rule Charter, and the Allegheny County Administrative Code. The Board is provided with all of the power and duties conferred under the Board of Elections before the Charter. Currently, the three board members are County Executive Sara Innamorato, Council Member Sam DeMarco, and Council Member Bethany Hallam.” [Allegheny County Board of Elections, accessed 4/15/24]
Sam DeMarco III Was A Fake Trump Elector. “The 84 people who signed bogus documents claiming that Donald Trump won the 2020 election include dozens of local Republican Party leaders, candidates for public office, and current and former state and federal office holders. […] In January, States Newsroom published a full list of the fake electors. Since that time, as the investigation has intensified, the people involved have appeared on the ballot in primaries, been subpoenaed, and have left their positions or started new ones. The slate of fake electors now includes at least three current candidates for office, including Burt Jones, who won the Republican primary for lieutenant governor in Georgia and will appear on the ballot in November; Jim Lamon, a candidate for U.S. Senate from Arizona. […] The group also includes seven current officeholders… *Sam DeMarco III, an Allegheny County at-large council member in Pennsylvania.” [Pennsylvania Capital-Star, 6/29/22]
FBI Agents “Subpoenaed And Interviewed” Sam DeMarco About The Fake Pennsylvania Trump Elector Slate. “Former Trump administration officials detailed Thursday how U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., pushed wild conspiracy theories to the highest levels of the federal government in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential results. [...] Their testimony came on the same day that two other Pennsylvania Republicans came under scrutiny for the roles they played in organizing and advancing a so-called alternate slate of pro-Trump electors from battleground states in advance of a Jan. 6 joint session of Congress to certify Joe Biden's victory. FBI agents interviewed Allegheny County GOP chair Sam DeMarco. [...] Investigators subpoenaed and interviewed Sam DeMarco, the chair of the Allegheny County GOP, at his home Thursday morning.” [Philadelphia Inquirer, 6/23/22]
After An FBI Subpoena And Interview Related To His Participation In The Fake PA Elector Scheme, Sam DeMarco Accused The Justice Department of “Hunt[ing] Republicans.” “The Pennsylvania slate - which included some of the state's most prominent Republican leaders - received less attention, in part because its organizers inserted a caveat in the document that they were standing ready to serve only in the event of a court order recognizing them as the rightful Pennsylvania electors. ‘When we did not win in court, the matter ended,’ DeMarco said in a statement Thursday. He accused the Justice Department of ‘hunt[ing] Republicans[.]’” [Philadelphia Inquirer, 6/23/22]
Sam DeMarco Said He Did Not Sign On As A Fake Elector Until The Language Was Changed To Say Electors Were Qualified Only If The Courts Overturned Pennsylvania’s Election Results. “FBI agents investigating the plot behind those false electors spent an hour talking to the chairman of the Allegheny County Republican Committee, a man who was himself asked to take part in President Trump's scheme to overturn the 2020 election and remain in power. [...] Sam DeMarco, the county GOP chairman interviewed by the FBI on Thursday, said he and several of his fellow electors refused to sign on until the language was changed to say they'd be qualified to cast electoral votes only if the courts overturned the state's election results.” [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 6/24/22]
Sam DeMarco Voted Against Certification Of The 2020 Election. “In a 2-1 vote along party lines, the Allegheny County elections board ratified the vote count - minus a few minor categories pending legal proceedings - and were set to send them to state officials for further action. County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and at-large Councilwoman Bethany Hallam, both Democrats, voted to certify the results, while Republican at-large Councilman Sam DeMarco rejected the ratification.” [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 11/23/20]
Explaining His Vote Against Certifying Biden’s Victory, Sam DeMarco Said, “I'm Not Claiming Fraud” But “Bringing Attention To A Broken And Flawed Process.” “The 3-member board of elections certified the results in a 2-1 vote. County Councilman Sam DeMarco cast the lone ‘no’ vote. [...] DeMarco said he voted against the certification as a ‘protest vote,’ not because he questions the integrity of the election and its results. ‘I'm not claiming fraud, I'm not claiming the results would in any way change,’ he said. ‘I'm bringing attention to a broken and flawed process that needs to be addressed going forward.’” [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 11/23/20]
Sam DeMarco “Cast A Minority Vote Against Certification In An Area That Broke Decisively For Biden.” “Elsewhere, Allegheny County Election Board member Sam DeMarco cast a minority vote against certification in an area that broke decisively for Biden, depicting his decision as a call to action for Harrisburg to tighten restrictions on mail-in voting.” [Philadelphia Tribune, 11/24/20]
2023: Sam DeMarco Claimed His Vote Against Certification Was An Act Of Protest, Claiming, “If One Of The Democrats Would Have Voted Against Certification, I Would Have Changed My Vote.” “In Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh, Republican council member Sam DeMarco voted against certification and later signed on as an alternative elector for Trump in the Electoral College. Both are running for reelection. DeMarco said his vote against certification was an act of protest because of a dispute over undated mail ballots. He described it as a matter of principle, saying he knew the two Democrats on the board would vote to certify. ‘I knew the election was going to be certified, there were two Democrats and one Republican. That wasn’t a concern, but I was protesting,’ DeMarco said. If one of the Democrats would have voted against certification, he said, ‘I would have changed my vote.’” [Philadelphia Inquirer, 3/2/23]
In 2022, Allegheny County Elections Meeting Minutes Stated, “Member [Sam] De Marco [Sic]Inquired About The Digital Images Of Voted Ballots And The Claim That Counterfeit Ballots Were Used In Allegheny County.” “Member De Marco inquired about the digital images of voted ballots and the claim that counterfeit ballots were used in Allegheny County. Ms. Garofolo said it would be impossible for 10,000 counterfeit ballots to be brought into the County’s secured Elections Warehouse and, as an example, indicated that 10,000 ballots would take approximately 10 bankers boxes and indicated that there were 10 bankers boxes stacked nearby in the Gold Room. Mr. Voye added that the Elections Warehouse is under 24/7 video surveillance.” [Allegheny County Board of Elections Meeting Minutes, 9/20/22]
September 2020: Sam DeMarco Expressed His “Outrage” At The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Decision To Extend The Mail-In Ballot Deadline By Three Days. “Member DeMarco discussed the recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision and expressed concerns that the Supreme Court extended, by three days, accepting mail in/absentee ballots, provided they were postmarked by November 3rd. Member DeMarco indicated that this holding was an outrage. Member DeMarco also requested a Resolution to the Governor’s office to require a postmark.” [Allegheny County Board of Elections Meeting Minutes, 9/17/20]
September 2020: Allegheny County Elections Meeting Minutes: “Member [Sam] DeMarco Expressed Concerns About Election Security.” “Member DeMarco expressed concerns about election security and asked whether or not each public comment, by email, would receive a response. Mr. Opsitnick, Chair Fitzgerald, and Member DeMarco indicated that the County would respond to each such inquiry.” [Allegheny County Board of Elections Meeting Minutes, 9/17/20]
November 2020: Sam DeMarco Was The Lone Vote Against Approving Tabulation Of Ballots With Envelopes Missing The Date. “Solicitor Szefi addressed the issue of 2,349 mail in or absentee ballots that were complete except for a date. Mr. Szefi indicated that the ballot envelopes appeared to be proper, missing only the date and that those ballots were timely filed. Mr. Szefi urged the Board to approve tabulation of said ballots. Motioned by Ms. Hallam. Seconded by Chair Fitzgerald to tabulate undated mail in ballots. Motion passed 2-1, with Mr. DeMarco against the motion.” [Allegheny County Board of Elections Meeting Minutes, 11/10/20]
August 2022: Sam DeMarco Proposed Utilizing “25 Or So Volunteers At The Warehouse So As To Build Trust” In The County’s Pre-Canvassing System, Despite Concerns About The Public Involvement. “Member DeMarco stated that as Act 77 provided a centralized location manned by County employees at the Elections Warehouse to process, pre-canvas, and canvas mail-in votes is it legal to utilize 25 or so volunteers at the warehouse so as to build trust in the system. Mr. Opsitnick said he would check and respond. Member Hallam expressed concerns about public involvement in the pre-canvas and canvas process. Member DeMarco replied he thought there was no problem. Chair Fitzgerald indicated that all activities at the warehouse are observable and on camera and Member DeMarco agreed, further indicating that IDs are checked in the warehouse as well.” [Allegheny County Board of Elections Meeting Minutes, 8/10/22]