PA Capitol Report: Top 10 Stories On Harrisburg/PA Politics Last Week


Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else–

— Governor’s Race

— Post-Gazette – Salena Zito: Mastriano Is A Disaster For PA Republicans, But The Party Deserves It

— AP: Republican Candidate For Governor Mastriano Wants To Make Everyone Re-Register To Vote

            “The concept flatly violates federal law, legal scholars say, and may conflict with state law, not to mention constitutional protections. It is also a throwback to laws designed by white people in past eras to keep Black people or newer European immigrants from voting.”

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Plan To Make Everyone Re-Register To Vote Will Corrupt The Vote

— York Daily Record: Here Are 5 Ways Republican Doug Mastriano Can Win Governor’s Race

— Inquirer: Republican Candidate For Governor Mastriano Compares U.S. Gun Control To Nazi Germany.. Again

— AP: Christian Nationalism On The Rise In Some Republican Campaigns [Mastriano In PA]

— AP: Republican Candidate For Governor Mastriano  Willing To Talk To U.S. House Committee Investigating Assault On U.S. Capitol, Efforts To Overturn Nov. 2020 Election

— Inquirer: Republican Candidate For Governor Mastriano To Be Interviewed By U.S. House Committee Investigating Assault On U.S. Capitol, Efforts To Overturn Nov. 2020 Election

— PA Capital-Star: Republican Candidate For Governor’s Largest Donor Is Martin’s Potato Roll,  Shake Shack’s Bread Maker

— WHYY: Republican Insiders Begin To Reluctantly Support Mastriano, As Democrats Tout Unity In PA

— York Daily Record: Here Are 5 Ways Democrat Josh Shapiro Can Win Governor’s Race

— York Daily Record: Josh Shapiro Launched His Governor Bid In Johnstown, Why That Might Help The Democrat Win

— Inquirer: Josh Shapiro, Sharif Street At Odds Over Leadership Of PA Democratic Party

— U.S. Senate Race

— AP: McCormick Concedes To Dr. Oz In Republican U.S. Senate Race

— Post-Gazette: How PA’s U.S. Senate Race Between Fetterman And Dr. Oz Could Play Out

— Inquirer: Dr. Oz vs. Fetterman: A Clash Of 2 Personalities Running As Outsiders

— AP: Commonwealth Court Orders Contested Mail-In Ballots Counted In PA U.S. Senate Primary

— MCall: U.S. Supreme Court Halts Counting Undated Lehigh County Mail-In Ballots

— WPost: U.S. Supreme Court Delays Counting Of Undated Mail-In Ballots In PA

— City & State PA: Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Asks For Recounts In 12 Counties

— TribLive Editorial: McCormick-Oz Vote Counting Debacle Is Lawmakers’ Fault

— AP: ‘I Almost Died,’ Fetterman Says As U.S. Senate Campaign Heats Up

— City & State PA: Casey Says Democratic U.S. Senate Nominee Fetterman Understands ‘Real People’

— May 2022 Primary Election

— MCall – Ford Turner: Lehigh Republican Chair – Sen. Browne Lost By 19 Votes; 2nd State Senate Race Still Undecided

— LancasterOnline: Republican Rep. Zimmerman Lost Committee Assignments For Support Of Right-Wing Candidate Who Tried To Unseat Republican Sen. Aument In Primary

— LancasterOnline: 2 Lancaster County Legislative Districts Appear Headed For Partial Hand Recount

— LancasterOnline: Court Strikes Down Recount Efforts In 2 Lancaster County Legislative Districts

— LancasterOnline Editorial: Unnecessary Election Recounts Are Inevitable Result Of The Big Lie

— LancasterOnline: Lancaster City Woman Charged With Forging Dead Mother’s Name On Mail-In Ballot For Democratic Primary

— Reading Eagle: Berks Poll Workers Say A Lack Of Training And Communication Contributed To A Difficult Day

— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

— Post-Gazette – Salena Zito: Mastriano Is A Disaster For PA Republicans, But The Party Deserves It

— AP: Republican Candidate For Governor Mastriano Wants To Make Everyone Re-Register To Vote

            “The concept flatly violates federal law, legal scholars say, and may conflict with state law, not to mention constitutional protections. It is also a throwback to laws designed by white people in past eras to keep Black people or newer European immigrants from voting.”

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Plan To Make Everyone Re-Register To Vote Will Corrupt The Vote

— PennLive Guest Essay: Proponents Of The ‘Big Lie’ Want To Control Outcome Of Next Election – Mark Singel

— AP: PA Republicans Loudly Opposed Counting Undated Mail-In Ballots, Until Now

— Erie Times: Republican Leaders, PA’s Cong. Scott Perry, Yet To Denounce Racist Replacement Theory Repeated By Buffalo Mass Shooting Suspect

— LancasterOnline: Republican Rep. Zimmerman Lost Committee Assignments For Support Of Right-Wing Candidate Who Tried To Unseat Republican Sen. Aument In Primary

— LancasterOnline Editorial: Unnecessary Election Recounts Are Inevitable Result Of The Big Lie

— Scranton Times Editorial: Open Primaries For Fairness, Governance

— PA’s Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol

— Inquirer: Delaware County Man Pleads Guilty To Criminal Charges Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol

— AP: Republican Candidate For Governor Mastriano  Willing To Talk To U.S. House Committee Investigating Assault On U.S. Capitol, Efforts To Overturn Nov. 2020 Election

— Inquirer: Republican Candidate For Governor Mastriano To Be Interviewed By U.S. House Committee Investigating Assault On U.S. Capitol, Efforts To Overturn Nov. 2020 Election

— State Constitutional Amendments

— Spotlight PA: Complete Guide To More Than 70 Proposed Amendments To State Constitution

— PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

— StateImpactPA – Rachel McDevitt: PA Natural Gas Hits Highest Price In Last Decade, Report Says

— The Center Square: Natural Gas: ‘Hedging’ And Pipeline Capacity An Issue For PA Production

— PennLive: PA Gasoline Prices Increase To $4.91/Gallon Average, Some Counties Cross $5 Line

— MCall: Gasoline Price-Shocked Pennsylvanians Looking For Relief, Harrisburg Unlikely To Provide It Any Time Soon

— Inquirer Editorial: Gasoline Tax Refund Giveaway Presents Big, Inequitable Hit To State Budget

— Williamsport Sun Editorial: Even More Clear Now U.S. Needs To Drill More Oil

— Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

— Spotlight PA: Gift Ban, Other Good-Government Changes Stall In PA Despite Promises From Leadership

— Scranton Times Editorial: Legislative Gift Bans Long Overdue

— TribLive Editorial: Without Gift Ban, Bribery Is All But Legal In PA

— Altoona Mirror Editorial: Makes Sense To Look Deeper At Legislators’ Perks

— Post-Gazette – Salena Zito: People, Places & Politicians: Abstract Rhetoric Doesn’t Respond To Voters’ Real Concerns

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Conservative Poll: 70% Of Pennsylvanians Believe The State Is Going In Wrong Direction

— City & State PA: Exit Interviews: Republican Sen. Jake Corman, The Leader

— MCall – Paul Muschick: Republican Lawmakers Want Term Limits On School Boards, Judges, But What About Them?

— Post-Gazette: Congress Isn’t Acting On Data Privacy, So PA Should

— TribLive: Rep. Nelson Introduces College Voucher Bill To Redirect State Funds From Pitt, Penn State, Temple To Other PA Colleges

— City & State PA: Despite Bipartisan Support, It’s Unclear What’s Holding Up Action On LGBTQ Protection From Discrimination

— PA Politics: In Memoriam: Rep. Peter J. Daley

— Budget 2022

— Gov. Wolf: May State Revenues $402.4 Million Over Estimate; Year-To-Date Up $4.9 Billion

— Independent Fiscal Office: May State Revenues $459.1 Million Over IFO Estimate; Year-To-Date Up $5.5 Billion

— PA Capital-Star: States, Including PA, Headed For ‘Fiscal Cliff’ After COVID Aid Runs Out

— Scranton Times Editorial: Budget Compromise Should Flow From Surplus Revenue

— PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Lawmakers, Wolf Can’t Kick The Can Down The Road This Budget Season – Ray E. Landis

— PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Saving For A Rainy Day Makes Good Fiscal Sense – State Treasurer Stacy Garrity

— PA Capital-Star: With Budget Season Approaching, PA Business Leaders Want Corporate Tax Cut  [On Top Of $30.7 Billion They Got In Federal Aid In 2020, 2021 – IFO]

— MCall: Wolf Repeats Call To Dole Out $2,000 Checks To Individuals From Federal Relief Money; Republicans Call It A ‘PR Stunt’

— COVID Pandemic/Health

— TribLive: New COVID Cases Drop 15% In PA’s Latest Report; Deaths Nearly Double Over Last Week

— TribLive: COVID Cases Down, Deaths Rise In Allegheny County

— Inquirer: It’s Another COVID Summer, This Time Philly-Area Folks Are Left To Decide For Themselves What’s Safe

— Inquirer Guest Essay: Nursing Shortage Can Be Fixed By Speeding Up Licensing Process

— Spotlight PA: Medical Marijuana Card Company Draws Scrutiny For Using Unofficial PA Doctor Listing To Attract Patients

— PA Capital-Star: State Agency To Begin Citing Unlicensed Addiction Recovery Houses Starting June 9

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Most State Government Employees Receive Bonuses For Working Thru Pandemic

— TribLive: First ‘Probable’ Case Of Monkeypox In Philadelphia

— COVID – Schools

— Erie Times: Masks Are Back In Erie, Other Schools, That Could Mean More Lawsuits

School Districts/Higher Education

— Erie Times Guest Essay: PA’s Private Cyber Charter Schools Cost Taxpayers And Businesses

— MCall – Paul Muschick: Republican Lawmakers Want Term Limits On School Boards, Judges, But What About Them?

— The Center Square: Philadelphia Schools Rely On $1.8 Billion In Federal Pandemic Aid To Stay Out Of Red Ink

— Inquirer: As Teachers Quit In PA, NJ Concerns Rise There May Not Be Enough New Ones To Take Their Place

— WPSU: With No Social Worker, Clearfield County School District Addresses Student Stress, Trauma At Home

— Post-Gazette/Inquirer: Special Education Costs Are Rising, But State Isn’t Footing The Bill, Children In Poorer Districts ‘Losing Out’

— TribLive: Rep. Nelson Introduces College Voucher Bill To Redirect State Funds From Pitt, Penn State, Temple To Other PA Colleges

— Post-Gazette: New President: Penn State’s Branch Campuses Are Core To Its Mission

— Inquirer: Fmr. Lt. Gov. Cawley Interim President Of Rosemont College

— MCall: Northampton Community College Picks David Ruth As Next President

— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement

— Inquirer: Republican Candidate For Governor Mastriano Compares U.S. Gun Control To Nazi Germany.. Again

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Wolf: Money Could Be Spent To Address Gun Violence, But ‘We Cannot Ignore The Elephant In The Room’

— AP: Governors Diverge On Gun Control, School Security Efforts [PA Included]

— WHYY: Teen Gun Violence Coalition Issues Call To Action Based On Survey Data

— TribLive: Pittsburgh Community Mourns Youth Violence

— AP: 1-Year-Old Shot, Killed In Downtown Pittsburgh Drive-By Shooting

— Post-Gazette: Parkland School Shooting Survivor Joins Crowd Outside Pat Toomey’s Office In Pittsburgh Demanding Gun Reform

— TribLive: Parkland School Shooting Survivor Joins Pittsburgh Leaders In Calling For Gun Reform

— Triblive: 2 Dead In Fayette Shooting

— KYW: Hundreds Of Students Demand Action Against Gun Violence Outside Philly City Hall: ‘This Is Our Safe Zone, Not Your War Zone’

— Inquirer: Teachers, Parents Everywhere Are Terrified Again, In Philly, That Fear Is ‘Every Single Day’

— WHYY: Bucks County Students Grieve Lives Lost To Gun Violence In Texas, Around Them

— ABC6: Phoenixville Students Stage Walkout To Demand Action On Gun Control

— Erie Times: McDowell H.S. Students Walk Out Of Class In Silent Protest Of Gun Violence

— Courier Times: Once Again, Pennridge Students In Bucks County Shed Light On Victims Of Gun Violence

— Inquirer: ‘Protect Kids, Not Guns’: Philly Students Express Outrage Over School Shootings Through Art

— Post-Gazette: Students Searched At Indiana County Junior High After Weapons Threat

— PennLive: Teens Wearing Gas Mask, Hot Dog Costume Prompt School Lockdown In Westmoreland County

— WITF: Teen Charged With Making Shooting Threat Toward Franklin County School District

— The Atlantic: Students Should Refuse To Go Back To School Until There’s Action On Stricter Gun Laws

— Spotlight PA: PA Supreme Court Could Give Cities Go-Ahead To Craft Their Own Gun Laws

— BillyPenn: Why Philly Can’t Make Stronger Gun Law, And The Legal Battle To Get That Changed

— PA Capital-Star: Gun Violence Reduction Laws Will Pass Only When More Blacks Get Guns – Michael Coard, Philadelphia Tribune

— Inquirer: 3 Dead, 11 Wounded In South Street Mass Shooting In Philadelphia

— AP: Man, Boy 10, Killed In Drive-By Shooting In Philadelphia Over Violent Holiday Weekend

— Inquirer: Hours After A Pregnant Woman Was Fatally Shot In Philly, Groups Gathered To Protest Gun Violence

— Inquirer: Guardian Angels Of Philadelphia Want To Make People Feel Safe, Now They’re Under Fire for ‘Vigilantism’

— WHYY: Turn In A Gun, Get $100 At Philadelphia Eagles’ Gun Buyback

— Post-Gazette: Gun Violence Rally Brings State Reps, Shooting Survivors Together In Hill District

— TribLive: Pittsburgh Mayor Unveils Plan To Combat City Violence

— Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Mayor Releases Plan For Violence Reduction

— Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh’s Gun Violence Takes Troubling Turn To Younger Victims

— Inquirer Guest Essay: The Cycle Of Gun Violence In Philadelphia Is Sickening

— PennLive – John Baer: Who Will Address Gun Violence First– Congress Or PA Legislature?

— Erie Times: Senators Casey, Toomey May Propose Gun Legislation Following Buffalo, Texas Mass Shootings

— Warren Times Editorial: Talk Not Enough To Stop School Killing Horrors

— Post-Gazette Editorial: 2 Politicians Who Can Do Something About Gun Violence [Pittsburgh Mayor, Sen. Toomey]

— TribLive Editorial: De’Avry Thomas Won’t Be The Last Victim Of Gun Violence

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Police Silence On Major Investigations Sows Confusion, Concern

— PA Capital-Star: Audit Of Pittsburgh Police Finds Racial Disparities In Marijuana Charges

— York Daily Record: York City Police Offers Registry For Residents With Mental Illness

— Inquirer: Carjacking Continues To Plague Philadelphia; Here’s How Young Carjackers Say They Get Away With It

— Post-Gazette: Plans To Alter Pittsburgh’s Stop-And-Frisk Rules Move Forward

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Stop-And-Frisk Accountability Bill Will Help, Not Hurt Policing

— Inquirer: Catholic Diocese Of Philadelphia Paid $78.5 Million In Clergy Child Sexual Abuse Reparations, Far Less Than Anticipated

— PA Economy

— PA Capital-Star: With Budget Season Approaching, PA Business Leaders Want Corporate Tax Cut  [On Top Of $30.7 Billion They Got In Federal Aid In 2020, 2021 – IFO]

— WHYY: Wolf Invests $1.7 Million In New Central PA Baby Formula Manufacturer

— Erie Times: Erie Childcare Centers Share $11.3 Million In COVID Aid

— Spotlight PA: 2004 Law Gives Veto Power To Phone Companies Over Expanding Broadband, Could Blunt Impact Of $1 Billion In Federal Funding Available

— Inquirer: Commonwealth Court: PA Liquor Control Board Liable For Damages, Legal Fees In Wine Shopping Fight

— Erie Times: Erie Native To Lead State AFL-CIO

— MCall: Emeril’s Out As Bethlehem Casino’s Restaurants Get Rebranded

— Courier Times: Levittown Backyard Bomb Shelters Eerie Relics Of Cold War Era, A Look Inside

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