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


Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else–

— Governor’s Race

— LancasterOnline – Brad Bumsted: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Won’t Talk To Mainstream Press As Contest Against Shapiro Begins

— AP: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano, Other Election Deniers Quiet On Bogus Fraud Claims After Their Primary Wins

— AP: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Brings Election Denier Into His Campaign 

— Centre Daily Times: Republican Candidate For Governor Mastriano Rips Up Traditional Campaign Script In PA

— Inquirer – Will Bunch: Why Is No One Talking About Republican Candidate For Governor Mastriano’s Plan To Destroy Public Education In PA?

— PennLive: The Republican Lincoln Project Labels Republican Gubernatorial  Candidate Mastriano A ‘Traitor’ For Efforts To Overturn Nov. 2020 Election Results

— York Daily Record: Democrats Fetterman, Shapiro Show Early Leads In USA Today Poll

— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Shapiro Vows To Protect Organized Labor As A Pillar Of PA’s Economy

— Politics PA: Shapiro Enters Summer With Huge Cash Lead

— Inquirer: Sen. Sharif Street Is New PA Democratic Party Chair, Shapiro Wanted Someone Else

— U.S. Senate Race

— WHYY: In Philly Speech, Biden Decries D.C. Gridlock, Urges PA To Elect Fetterman

— TribLive: Dr. Oz ‘All-In’ For U.S. Senate Run As He Courts Support In Suburban Pittsburgh

— PennLive Guest Essay: A Brighter Prognosis For Pennsylvania – By Dr. Oz, Republican Candidate For U.S. Senate

— York Daily Record: Democrats Fetterman, Shapiro Show Early Leads In USA Today Poll

— Courier Times: Here Are 5 Ways Fetterman Can Win U.S. Senate Race In PA

— Courier Times: Here Are 5 Ways Dr. Oz Could Win U.S. Senate Race In PA

— Post-Gazette: Fetterman Selects Veteran Campaign Manager For His PA U.S. Senate Run

— Inquirer: Fetterman Says He’s Not A Typical Politician, Is That Enough In A Brutal Climate For Democrats?

— AP: Vulnerable Democrats In PA, Other States Run Against D.C. And Their Party

— May 2022 Primary Election

— MCall: Nick Miller Wins 14th State Senate Democratic Primary

— Post-Gazette: Summer Lee Says Her Win Proves Democrats Don’t Have To Be Represented By ‘Go-Along, Get-Along Folks’

— LancasterOnline: Commonwealth Court Upholds Lancaster County Court Ruling On House District Recount

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Republican Sen. Regan Censured By Local Republican Committee For Supporting Candidates The Committee Endorsed

— LancasterOnline: Republican Rep. Zimmeran Says He Was Stripped Of Committee Assignments Because He Supported Candidate Not Endorsed By Party

— November 2022 Election

— Post-Gazette – Julian Routh: For Democrats, It’s The Economy– Unfortunately– As Midterm Election Loom

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Don’t Make The Debate ‘Democracy’ Versus Economic Survival

— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

— Inquirer: Fights Over PA Election Rules Have Come Roaring Back

— City & State PA: Republican Rep. Grove Looks To Begin Bipartisan Talks On Election Reforms, Says Wolf Has ‘No Credibility’ On Election Issues

— Citizens Voice: Luzerne County Council Urges State To Abolish Drop Boxes, Mail-In Ballots

— Scranton Times Editorial: Luzerne County Council Trots Out Its Own Big Election Lie

— Scranton Times Editorial: Primary Election County Should Prompt Needed Reform

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

— Inquirer: Fmr Republican Philadelphia Elections Commissioner Testifies Ex-President Unleashed Barrage Of Death Threats Against Him And His Family

— Post-Gazette Editorial: U.S. House Committee Investigating Assault On U.S. Capitol Might Do Republicans A Favor

— Post-Gazette: Fmr Republican Philadelphia Elections Commissioner Testifies ‘No Matter How absurd,’ Claims Of City Voter Fraud Were Investigated In Nov. 2020

— Inquirer: Fmr Republican Philly Elections Commissioner To Testify Before U.S. House Panel Investigating Assault On U.S. Capitol

— Politics PA: Pennsylvania Takes Center Stage On Day 2 Of U.S. House Hearings Into Assault On U.S. Capitol

— AP: Rudy Giuliani Faces Court Ethics Charges Over Election Role In Pennsylvania

— PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Ex-President, Supporters Blame Antifa For Assault On U.S. Capitol, They’re Looking In The Wrong Place – Chuck Ardo

— York Dispatch Editorial: Republican Cong. Scott Perry Step Forward Or Step Down

— Post-Gazette: Federal Judge Again Refuses To Release Pittsburgh-Area Man From Jail Charged With Assaulting Police During Assault On U.S. Capitol

— TribLive: Allegheny County Man Charged With Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol Will Remain In Jail

— Post-Gazette: Allegheny County Man Charged With Crimes Related To Assaulting U.S. Capitol Police Objects To Not Being Able To Use Self-Defense Claim

— PennLive: Federal Prosecutor Says Bucks County Man Charged With Crimes During Assault On U.S. Capitol Wrote A Letter From Prison About Getting Rid Of Politicians With A Woodchipper

— AP: Philly DA Seeks Contempt Charge Against Virginia Man On Weapons Charges Outside Where Philadelphia Votes Were Being Counted

— AP: Man Free On Bail Who Drove To Philadelphia With Illegal Weapons Near Vote Counting Facility In 2020

— MCall: National Hate Group Monitor Unmasks Lehigh Valley-Area Publishing Company – Antelope Hill-  Peddling Nazi, Fascist Literature

— MCall/Centre Daily Times: Police Monitoring Penn State Student Labeled ‘Right-Wing Extremist’ Over Social Posts About School Shootings, White Supremacy

— Spotlight PA: Experts: Proposed PA Ban On Trans Athletes Is Discriminatory And ‘Anti-Evidence’

— York Daily Record: Science Or Fear?  No One Agrees On Reason For Restricting Transgender Athletes

— State Constitutional Amendments

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

— PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

— PA Dept. Of Agriculture Temporarily Suspends Requirement For 2% Biodiesel For Out-Of-State Fuel Sold In PA In Response To Rolling Outages Of Diesel Fuel  [PaEN]

— MCall – Ford Turner: PA Having ‘Rolling Outages’ Of Diesel Fuel, Makes Move To Allow Sales Of Out-Of-State Fuel

— TribLive: More People Choosing Mass Transit As Gasoline Prices Remain High

— The Center Square: With Food And Energy Prices High, Few Short-Term Solutions  [PA House Hearing]

— MCall – Ford Turner: PA Farmers Getting Crushed By Record Diesel Prices, Lawmakers Told

— TribLive Editorial: What Is The Fix For Gasoline Price Increases?

— Rep. Bizzarro: End Gasoline Price Gouging Through New Stop Price Fixing Act Legislation

June 22– House Democratic Policy Committee hearing on combating inflation with the Stop Gasoline Price Fixing Act. Room 523 Irvis Building. 9:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch online.

— Pittsburgh Business Times: Natural Gas Industry Sees Challenges For Marcellus In Boosting LNG Production

— Inquirer – Andrew Maykuth: A Proposed LNG Natural Gas Plan In Chester Would Be Gigantic And Hardly Anyone Knows About It

— WHYY: Could Delaware County Get A Major LNG Natural Gas Plant, How Will It Clash With Environmental Justice Goals In Chester 

— Post-Gazette – Anya Litvak: U.S./PA Natural Gas Exports Bind America To The World [And Spiking World Prices]

— Scranton Times Editorial: Process LNG Natural Gas Where It’s Shipped Not Where It’s Taken Out Of The Ground

— TribLive Guest Essay: PA Natural Gas Will Save Our European Allies – Fmr Republican State Sen. Earl Baker

— Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

— Spotlight PA: PA House Eyes Expanding Who Can Bring Sexual Misconduct Complaints Against Lawmakers

— PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Hey, PA Legislature – Where’s Our Property Tax Relief? – Cumberland County Commissioner

— Bloomberg: Wall Street Secrets Pit $75 Billion PA Pension Fund Against Trustee Tasked With Protecting It

— LancasterOnline: Class-Action Lawsuit Seeking Up To $45 Million In Refunds From Liquor Control Board Gets Big Win

— Inquirer: Penn National Gaming Employee Made $560,000 Trading On Insider Information, Feds Say

— AP: Report: Smoking Bans No Longer A Threat To Casino Revenue

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Closing Pittsburgh Immigration Court Symptomatic Of Broken System

— Post-Gazette: Bipartisan PA Legislation Would Provide Home Repair Grants, Loans For Homeowners, Small Landlords

— Williamsport Sun Editorial: Property Tax Relief Should Not Rely On Taxing Hard Work

— Dept. Of Revenue Extends Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program Deadline To Dec. 31

— Post-Gazette: PA Bill Could Reel In Fireworks Use After Increased Concern

— Scranton Times Editorial: ‘Bright’ Move To Control Fireworks

— Budget 2022

— AP: Wolf, Lawmakers Launch Budget Season With Billions To Spend

— PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Republican Austerity Is Literally Killing Pennsylvanians, Leaving Our Young People In Debt – PA Budget & Policy Center

— Citizens Voice: State Education Funding Levels At Center Of Budget Talks, Court Case

— Spotlight PA: Bipartisan Push To Cut Corporate Taxes In PA Explained

— Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Tax The Political Industry, They’re Selling A Product, After All

— The Center Square: PA’s Difficult Shift For Funding Roads

— Independent Fiscal Office Research Brief On PA’s Gasoline Tax

— PA Gaming Control Board Reports May Revenue $447.4 Million, Down From $461.6 Million In April

— LancasterOnline: Class-Action Lawsuit Seeking Up To $45 Million In Refunds From Liquor Control Board Gets Big Win

— WITF: PA Mental Health Advocates Hopeful For Funding Increase

— PA Capital-Star: Will It Be ‘Every State For Themselves’ As Federal COVID Cash Dries Up?

— COVID Pandemic/Health

— Post-Gazette: Allegheny County’s COVID Level Drops To ‘Low’ As Hospitalizations Fall By Half

— TribLive: PA Health Dept. Ready To Give COVID Vaccines To Young Children

— PennLive: PA Hospital Workers Face Increasing Abuse, Violence From Patients And Visitors

— MCall: Rep. Schlossberg Pitches $100 Million In New Spending That Includes For Social Workers For Police Departments Citing Pandemic-Fueled Mental Health Crisis

— PennLive: Disabled Pennsylvanians Fear State Plan For Home Health Aides Will Backfire

— WHYY: Delaware County Leaders Debut Bills Aimed To Protect PA From For-Profit Health Care

— Post-Gazette: 2nd Case Of Monkeypox Detected In PA

— Inquirer: PA’s Controversial Marijuana Vape Recall Is Overturned By Appeals Court

— Inquirer Editorial: PA’s Approach To Alcohol vs. Marijuana Makes No Sense

— PA Capital-Star: Bill Regulating Herbal Stimulant Kratom Amended By House Panel

— Opioid Deaths

— MCall: How Lehigh Valley Drug Task Force Hopes To Get Fentanyl Off The Streets Amig Surge Overdose Deaths

School Districts/Higher Education

— Citizens Voice: State Education Funding Levels At Center Of Budget Talks, Court Case

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA Senate Votes To Block Private Charter School Accountability Regulations From Taking Effect

— Gov. Wolf: New Regulations Will Increase Transparency, Accountability For Private Charter Schools Paid For By Taxpayers

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA Republicans Make Last-Ditch Effort To Block Private Charter School Accountability Regulations

— York Daily Record: Fmr PA Teacher Calls For Arming The Teachers

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA Teachers Union Pushes Back Against Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Proposal To Allow School Employees To Be Armed

— Scranton Times Editorial: Guns In Schools Aren’t The Solution To Guns In Schools

— Inquirer: Lower Merion School District Agrees To Return $27 Million To Settle Lawsuit Over Property Tax Increases

— TribLive: State-Owned University System Adopts Enrollment-Based Formula For Distributing State Funding

— The Center Square: Fewer Students, Bigger Budget Requests For State-Owned Universities

— Post-Gazette: Pitt Funding Still In Question Among House Republicans As Budget Deadline Approaches

— Post-Gazette: Service Fees To Increase For Some Pitt Students In The Fall

— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement

— Scranton Times: Gun Rights And Control Groups Spend On Elections In NE PA

— Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso: Facing Pressure From Democrats, House Panel Avoids Considering Gun Bills In Wake Of Mass Shootings

— AP: House Republicans Move To Bottle Up 4 Gun Safety Proposals

— Gov. Wolf Condemns Republicans For Refusing To Move Bill Package On Gun Violence

— WHYY: PA Republicans Respond To Gun Violence By Trying To Impeach Philly DA

— Daily Item: House Republicans Seek Philadelphia DA’s Impeachment

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: House Republicans Initiate Impeachment Proceedings Against Philly DA For Gun Violence

— MCall – Ford Turner: Lehigh Valley Lawmaker Pushes Bill To Ban Under-21 Assault Weapons Sales

— AP: PA Man Sues Gun Maker Over Gun That Goes Off By Itself

— Scranton Times: Gun Sales Strong In Area Shops Following Mass Shootings

— MCall – Paul Muschick: Why Don’t PA Lawmakers Have The Courage To Vote On Gun Violence Bills?

— Inquirer Guest Essay: What Happens When A City’s Chief Prosecutor Refuses To Prosecute?

— Scranton Times Editorial: House Republicans – Ignore Guns, Look Over There!

— PA Capital-Star: Want To Really Honor Veterans?  Pass A Red Flag Gun Law

— WESA: Pittsburgh Business Owners, Residents Call South Side Neighborhood ‘Lawless’

— Post-Gazette: Community Leaders In Pittsburgh Call On Families To Help End Gun Violence

— TribLive Guest Essay: A New Era Of Gun Violence Prevention Is Coming – Rep. Frankel

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Fatherhood Initiative A Good Sign For Pittsburgh Anti-Violence Movement

— TribLive Editorial: Murder Victim’s Stories Have To Be Remembered

— PennLive – John Baer: Could Possible Congressional Deal On Guns Be Sign Of Partisan Divide Closing?

— Post-Gazette: Toomey Among The Key 10 U.S. Senate Republicans Supporting New Gun Deal

— LancasterOnline: Critics Bash St. Boniface For Hosting ‘Christian State’ Event Moderated By Anti-Gay Writer

— PA Capital-Star: Lawsuit Alleges ‘Brutal Treatment’ Of People With Psychiatric Disabilities In Allegheny County Jail

— AP: Bill Limiting Inmates’ Records Access Passes House

— York Daily Record: York County’s Most Influential For 2022: Activism And Social Justice

— TribLive: State Police Seeking Information On Theft Of 8,000 Golf Balls In Somerset County

— PA Economy

— Spotlight PA: Bipartisan Push To Cut Corporate Taxes In PA Explained

— Dept. Of Labor & Industry Reports PA Unemployment 4.6%, Down From April

— AP: PA Jobless Rate Fell, Labor Force Grew In May

— The Center Square: PA Tackling 30,000 Case Backlog Of Unemployment Fund

— Post-Gazette: State Awarded $3 Million Grant To Assist Families In Navigating State Unemployment Compensation System

— Inquirer: 8 Philly Employees Charged With Collecting COVID Unemployment While Working For City

— Inquirer: Philadelphia Will Host 2026 World Cup Soccer Games

— TribLive: Pittsburgh Ranked In Top 5 For Emerging Startup Ecosystems, Report

— TribLive Editorial: Workweek Changes Could Be Good For Everyone

— WLVR: Supply Chain Issues Slowing The Flow Of Beer In PA

— WITF: 8 Native American Tribes Prepare To Reclaim Their Children’s Remains From Carlisle Army Cemetery

— Spotlight PA: Legal But Unregulated Hemp Derivative Delta-8 Thrives In PA’s Thorny Marijuana Landscape

Other

— TribLive Editorial: Always Check The Back Seat For Children

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