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


Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else–

— New Voting Districts – Senate, House, Congressional

— Spotlight PA: PA Lawmakers Spent At Least $3 Million Of Taxpayer Money On Private Lawyers, Experts During Redistricting Battle, Invoices Show

— TribLive Editorial: House/Senate Redistricting Legal Bills Are Cost Of Putting Party Before People

— Governor’s Race

— The Guardian: Republican PA Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Prayed For Ex-President To ‘Seize The Power’ Before Assault On U.S. Capitol

— Politics PA: Could Toni Shuppe From Audit The Vote PA Be PA’s Next Head Of State Elections Under A Mastriano Administration?

— PennLive: 2 Months Before Election A Confident Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Says He’s Putting Transition Team To Work

— AP: Amid Campaign, Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Disputed Doctoral Thesis Made Public, With 6 Pages Of Corrections

— Post-Gazette – Julian Routh: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Proposes Site, Date, Moderator For Debate; Shapiro Camp Calls It A ‘Stunt

— TribLive Editorial: Candidates Need To Participate In Debates

— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Political Success Happened With A Little Luck And A Big Pandemic

— Inquirer: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Security Bubble Insulates Him From Prying Eyes And Dissenting Views

— Centre Daily Times: As PA Governor’s Race Kicks Into High Gear, Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Is Dark On TV

— Erie Times Guest Essay: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Confederate Uniform At Odds With PA Values – Rep. Austin Davis (Democratic Lt. Gov. Candidate)

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA School Directors Speak Out Against Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Education Funding Plan

— Post-Gazette: Shapiro Campaign’s First Add Of $16.9 Million Buy Declares Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Anti-Abortion, Anti-LGBTQ Beliefs ‘Too Risky For PA’

— Erie Times: 5 Developments Have Reshaped The PA Governor’s Race This Summer

— U.S. Senate Race

— WHYY: How PA U.S. Senate Candidates Compare On Jobs And Labor

— TribLive/AP: Fetterman Agrees To 1 Debate With Dr. Oz In U.S. Senate Race

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Beneath Campaign Nastiness, Legitimate Concerns About Fetterman’s Health

— Post-Gazette: Toomey Appears With Dr. Oz, Criticizes Fetterman For Declining Debate

— Inquirer: Toomey Says Fetterman Is ‘Not Up To The Job’ Of U.S. Senator

— TribLive Editorial: Candidates Need To Participate In Debates

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Dr. Oz: Drop Attacks On Fetterman, Now That He Will Debate

— Inquirer: Dr. Oz Pivoting Toward Suburbs That Have Abandoned Republicans

— Inquirer: ‘Dr. Oz Wears Pants’ Republican Rally In Bucks County To Support Dr. Oz

— PA Capital-Star: Dr. Oz Clarifies Abortion Views, Fetterman Capitalizes On Conflicting Views In U.S. Senate Race

— Post-Gazette – Salena Zito: McCormick And Dr. Oz Talk National Security In Beaver County

— PennLive: Will The Ugly PA U.S. Senate Race Get Worse Over Next 2 Months?  Well….

— November 2022 Election

— PA Capital-Star: What To Know So You’re Registered Ready To Vote Nov. 8 Election

— PA Capital-Star: These Are The Election-Deniers On The PA Ballot In 2022

— Erie Times: 5 Seats The PA Republicans Feels It Can Flip To Secure Veto-Proof State Senate Majority

— York Daily Record: 4 PA House Seats Democrats Believe They Can Flip In November

— MCall – Ford Turner: Candidates Vying To Replace State Sen. Pat Browne Agree To Debate

— Inquirer: Philly’s Black Republican Ward Leaders: ‘I Know It’s An Uphill Battle, But My Role Is To Engage’

— LancasterOnline: Republican Cong. Smucker Declines Debates With Lancaster Paper, In Part Due To ‘Bias’

— TribLive: Westmoreland Democrats Say Concerns Abound As November Election Nears

— WITF: A Chambersburg Church Wants Members To Bring Their Political Differences To The Service

— Post-Gazette Guest Essay: What Went Wrong With My Party, And The Other? – Jim Roddey (Republican)

— Courier Times: Biden Was In PA 3 Times In A Week, Why State Is Key To Midterms And Beyond

— PennLive – John Baer: Biden And Ex-President, Thought Not On The Ballot, Dominate Politics And Polarization

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Meltdown: Ex-President’s Lies, Smears Show He’s A Menace

— York Dispatch Editorial: Ex-President’s PA Speech Proves Biden Right, Amps Up Race To November

— PennLive: Ex-President Posted Private Photo With State Troopers Without Authorization, Police

— PennLive: Ex-President Takes Down Unauthorized Photo With PA State Police

— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

— Gov. Wolf Expands Voter Registration Access For Eligible Pennsylvanians

— WHYY: New PA Project Ramps Up To Make Fall Voting Accessible To All

— WITF: PA Senate Republicans Argue State Legislatures Should Have Sole Power Over Elections In U.S. Supreme Court Brief

— Altoona Mirror: Republicans Move To Keep Up Fight On Mail-In Voting Policies

— LancasterOnline: Republican Lancaster County Commissioner Attended Conference Hosted By Election Denier Before Vote To Remove Mail-In Drop Boxes

— PennLive: Lycoming County Ballot To Include Question Of Keeping Electronic Voting System

— York Dispatch: Petition For Voter Referendum To Throw Out Dominion Voting Machines In York County Falls Short Of Signatures

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

— PA Capital-Star: These Are The Election-Deniers On The PA Ballot In 2022

— Inquirer: Delaware County Man Charged With Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol Sentenced To 9 Months In Prison

— Scranton Times: Federal Magistrate To Handle Lackawanna County Woman’s Criminal Charges Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol

— AP: Elected Officials, Police Chiefs On Leaked Right-Wing Extremist Oath Keepers List  [In PA – 4 Elected Officials, 19 Law Enforcement, 8 Military, 3 First Responders, 1,499 Total Signups In PA]

— WITF: Police, Constables In PA Joined ‘Anti-Government’ Oath Keepers

— Inquirer: What You Need To Know About The Report On The Anti-Government Oath Keepers Members

— Scranton Times: Anti-Terrorism Exercise Planned At Scranton Army Ammunition Plant

— PennLive/Huffington Post: Police Officers Hurt In The Assault On U.S. Capitol Say PA State Troopers Posting With Ex-President Was ‘Unacceptable,’ ‘Slap In The Face’

— Erie Times: Catch Up On Fetterman, Dr. Oz U.S. Senate Race, Republican Cong. Scott Perry’s Brush With FBI, More

— Courier Times Guest Essay: Republican Cong. Fitzpatrick Has Enabled Republican Lies

— PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: MAGA Threat Isn’t Just In Washington, We’re Facing It In PA Too – Defend Democracy Project

— WITF: ‘You Belong, You Matter’ Inclusion Campaign In Nazareth, Northampton County Sparks Protest, Business Boycotts Against Campaign

— NYT: New Mexico County Commissioner Convicted Of Crime Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol Removed From Office Under 14th Amendment Which Bars Insurrectionists From Holding Public Office

— State Constitutional Amendments

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

— PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

— Explainer: So Why Does A Susquehanna County Gas Company Have To Raise Rates 33.2% When Susquehanna County Is The #1 Shale Gas Producer In PA?  [PaEN]

— NBCPhiladelphia: Following The Steps Of PA Utilities, NJ Utility Companies Will Increase Natural Gas Rates By As Much As 25%

— Altoona Mirror: Penelec Raises Electricity Rates 18.69% Due To Natural Gas Price Spikes

— WHYY: Environmentalists Decry DRBC Permit Extension Approval For LNG Natural Gas Terminal In South Jersey To Export PA Natural Gas  – By Zoe Read, WHYY, with Jon Hurdle of NJ Spotlight contributing [PaEN]

— Reuters: America Exports Natural Gas, Imports High Price

— Post-Gazette/NYT: Steeper Winter Heating Bills Loom, With Less Federal Aid

— Reuters: Russia Warns The West – Energy Price Cap On Oil, Natural Gas Will Be Your Undoing

— U.S. EIA: Short-Term Energy Outlook Projects Continued Natural Gas Price Increases Thru 2022

— Financial Times: U.S. Natural Gas Rescue Plan For Europe Threatens Domestic U.S. Backlash As Prices Surge To Triple What They Were

— Bloomberg: Natural Gas Buyers Hoarding Fuel At Sea To Prepare For Winter As Market Faces Severe Shortage

— Williamsport Sun Guest Essay: U.S. Natural Gas Key To Helping Families – American Petroleum Institute  [Cost Of Natural Gas In PA Increased Up To 154% Over Last Year.]

— Post-Gazette – Anya Litvak: Gasoline Prices: They’re Down, Then They’re Up, Now They’re Down, But Why?

— Reuters: Top Shale Executive Says U.S. Oil Output Gains To Disappoint

— Post-Gazette/Bloomberg: Storage Of Frack Gear Is Helping To Hold Back U.S. Oil Production

— Reuters: U.S. Coast Guard Probes Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion In Louisiana

— Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

— Spotlight PA: PA Lawmakers Spent At Least $3 Million Of Taxpayer Money On Private Lawyers, Experts During Redistricting Battle, Invoices Show

— PA Capital-Star: Advocates Optimistic Gift Ban Will Advance Farther ‘Than Ever Before’ As PA House Returns

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Giant Pink Pig Protests Politicians’ Prospective Pay Raise At PA Capitol

— Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso: How General Assembly Works: The Rules For PA Lawmaker Per Diems, Speake v. Leader, And Other Q&As

— TribLive Editorial: House/Senate Redistricting Legal Bills Are Cost Of Putting Party Before People

— PennLive Guest Essay: There Are Signs Of A Return To Good Government – Mark Singel

— PennLive Guest Essay: Thanks To The Queen And The Obamas For Providing A Little Shelter From The Storm – Mark Singel

— PA Capital-Star: Philly DA Not Alone Among Progressive Prosecutors Fighting Republican Attacks

— MCall – Ford Turner: PA Craft Operators Support Bill To Brew Beer, Distill Spirits In Same Location As Pocono ‘Beverage Trail’ Takes Off

— Budget 2023

— TribLive: PA Roads, Bridges To Get Extra $175 Million As Funding Is Freed Up From State Police

— Post-Gazette: Stimulus Package Billions Short Of Fixing All Poor PA Budges, Study Finds

— Auditor General DeFoor Reports On PA Turnpike Debt, Calls Annual Toll Increases To Fund PennDOT Programs Unsustainable

— AP: PA Turnpike Audit Finds Uncollected Toll Problem Grows To $155 Million

— Scranton Times Editorial: Legislature Drives Turnpike Into Ditch

— COVID Pandemic/Health

— MCall: PA COVID Update: 16,909 Cases Mark Continuing Decline, Deaths, Hospitalizations Fall

— MCall: One Lehigh Valley Health Network Skeptical Of New COVID Booster Vaccine Effectiveness

— Erie Times: As COVID Masking In Erie County Declined, Flu Cases Rose. Get A Flu Shot

— WESA: Fewer School Children Getting Vaccines In Allegheny County, But Rate Remains Above Average

— Altoona Mirror: State Of Emergency: UPMC Altoona Attempting To Combat Nursing Shortage

— WESA: Pittsburgh Colleges, Universities Look To Keep Student body Healthy, Monkeypox-Free

— PennLive: Striking PA Nursing Home Workers Enter 4th Day On Picket Line: ‘We’re Worth More Than That’

— AP: Deal Reached With Strikers At 4 PA Nursing Homes

— PennLive Guest Essay: The $600 Million For PA Nursing Homes Came At A Critical Time – LeadingAgePA

— Centre Daily Times: Healthy Relationships – What Message Is Penn State Sending If Alcohol Is Sold At Football Stadium?

— COVID – Schools

— Centre Daily Times: Penn State Expands COVID Isolation Space As Cases See ‘Anticipated’ Rise Early In Semester

— Opioid Epidemic

— PennLive: PA Doctor Sent To Prison After Prescribing More Than 422,000 Opioid Doses

School Districts/Higher Education

— Gov. Wolf Announces Universal Free Breakfast Program For 1.7 Million PA School Children

— MCall: As The Battle Over ‘Book Bans’ Wages On, Lehigh Valley Schools Are Ready

— WITF: ‘You Belong, You Matter’ Inclusion Campaign In Nazareth, Northampton County Sparks Protest, Business Boycotts Against Campaign

— PennLive Editorial: Adults Should Be Held Accountable For Abhorrent Behavior In Middletown Schools

— Inquirer: Philadelphia Libraries Are Struggling To Stay Open, Short Hundreds Of Workers

— WITF: PA Schools Looking For Solutions To Retain Staff, Attract New Teachers

— Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh, School District Announce New Workforce Development Program For Students

— TribLive: How Will Student Loan Relief Impact The Economy, Higher Education?  Western PA Professors Weigh In

— Inquirer Guest Essay: Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness Helps Those Who Need It Least

— Inquirer Guest Essay: Student Loan Forgiveness Unfairly Shifts Burden Of College Debt To Everyday Americans – Commonwealth Foundation

— TribLive Guest Essay: To Curb Student Debt, Reduce College Costs – Sen. Aument

— TribLive Guest Essay: Bipartisan Education Reforms Set Up Students For Success – Sen. Martin

— TribLive: Twitter Removes CMU Professor’s Tweet Wishing ‘Excruciating Pain’ For Queen Elizabeth II

— TribLive: California U. Students Step Into New Era As PennWest University

— Centre Daily Times: Healthy Relationships – What Message Is Penn State Sending If Alcohol Is Sold At Football Stadium?

— WESA: University Of Pittsburgh Spent $750,000 Lobbying For State Budget Fight, 9 Times Their Usual Amount

— TribLive: Duquesne Law School Renamed After $50 Million Gift From Thomas R. Kline

— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement

— Scranton Times: Scranton Teachers, Staff Receive Active Shooter Training

— Williamsport Sun: Bail Denied For Williamsport Man After Alleged Threats To Central Elementary School

— TribLive: Pine-Richland School Officials Taking ‘Appropriate Next Steps’ To Address Racist Homecoming Sign

— MCall: Lehigh Valley School Closed Thursday After Threat To Middle School Students, Staff

— MCall: Lehigh Valley School Remains Closed Friday After Threat To Students, Staff

— KDKA: 14-Year-Old Student Found With Knives At Westmoreland County School

— Inquirer Editorial: With 750 Shootings Since Memorial Day, Philadelphia Records Another Summer Of Mayhem

— Inquirer: 3 People Have Died Among 10 Shot In Less Than 7 Hours In Philly

— Inquirer: Teenager Fatally Shot 8 Times, Woman Shot 10 Times As Violent Weekend In Philly Continued

— WHYY: Center City Shooting Incident Highlights Philly Violence Over The Weekend

— Inquirer: A Triple Shooting Outside This Philly Elementary School, But For Kensington Families, The Risk Of Violence Is Constant

— Inquirer: 2 Philadelphians In 2 Days Shot And Killed Just Going About Their Routine

— WHYY: Philly Resumes Gun Violence Listening Tours, But What Impact Have They Had?

— Gov. Wolf Highlights $355 Million Commitment To Safer Communities, Announces Opening Of Violence Intervention Programs

— TribLive: Wolf Announces $100 Million In New Funds To Curb Gun Violence

— MCall: State Police Shoot, Kill Monroe County Man During A Wellness Check At His Home Thursday

— LancasterOnline: FBI Implements New Crime Reporting System; State Hasn’t Shifted Yet

— Post-Gazette – Robert Swift: House Panel Examines Bill To Expand Clean Slate Law

— Reading Eagle: Explosions Heard Near Reading Were Part Of Bomb Squad Training Exercise On Fritz Island

— Scranton Times Editorial: Pot Pardons Right Policy At Right Time

— PA Economy

— WITF/WHYY: PA Workers, Businesses Grapple With Tight Job Market This Labor Day

— PA Capital-Star: From Steelworkers To Baristas: The New Face Of Pittsburgh’s Labor Movement

— Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh, School District Announce New Workforce Development Program For Students

— WESA: Biden And Parade Will Cap Pittsburgh’s Labor Day Celebrations After 2-Year Hiatus

— TribLive – Mary Ann Thomas: Labor Leaders See Growth In Unionism

— MCall Guest Essay: The Future Of Semiconductor Chips Is In Pennsylvania

— Post-Gazette Editorial: In The Beginning, There Was Work

— Post-Gazette Editorial: An Economic Development Agenda All Can Agree On

— Post-Gazette: Investors Fear Millions Lost In PA’s Latest Crypto Currency Scandal

— Spotlight PA: New Maps Will Help Decide Where Up To $1 Billion In Federal Money Goes For PA Broadband Expansion

— Inquirer: 6 Takeaways From A New Report On Philadelphia’s Property Tax System

— Other

— PA Capital-Star: Poll: PA Voters Back Dreamers, Path To Citizenship For Undocumented

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