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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else–

— Governor’s Race

— Spotlight PA: PA Election 2022: Your Complete Guide To Candidates For Governor

— Inquirer: New Poll Found Shapiro Has More Support, Stronger Public Image Than Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano

— Politics PA: Trafalgar Poll: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano, U.S. Senate Candidate Dr. Oz Gain Ground

— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Long Before Run For Governor, Shapiro Seized Political Opportunities

— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Shapiro Voices Support For ‘Lifeline Scholarships’ Championed By School Choice Proponents

— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Democrat Shapiro Takes His Gubernatorial Campaign To Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Country

— Post-Gazette: Shapiro, Davis Announce $1.4 Million Campaign To Reach Black Voters In PA

— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Doesn’t Call Himself A Christian Nationalist, But He Gives It A Platform

— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Ex-President’s Son To Headline Franklin County Rally For Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano

— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Son Of Ex-President Stumps For Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano, Republicans In Franklin County

— York Dispatch/Inquirer: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Attack On Main Line Jewish School Draws Rebuke From Alumnus Jake Tapper

— York Dispatch/NY Daily News: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Was Registered To Vote In New Jersey, Just Like Dr. Oz

— PennLive – John Baer: Here’s How To Fix The Debate Over Debates In PA Governor’s Race

— LancasterOnline Editorial: If Political Candidates Want Votes, They Should Earn them By Participating In Public Debates

— Inquirer Editorial: In Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Efforts To Overturn The 2020 Election, A Chilling Template For Future Races

— Post-Gazette – Brandon McGinley: After COVID, Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Supporters Don’t Trust Anyone, Except Him

— Post-Gazette: Analysis From PA Teachers Union Shows ‘Terrifying’ Results From Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Education Funding Plan

— TribLive/Spotlight PA: Efforts To Ban, Restrict LGBTQ Curriculum In PA Schools Hing On Who Becomes Next Governor

— U.S. Senate Race

— Inquirer: 2 New Polls Show An Edge For Fetterman, Dr. Oz Support Looking Unenthusiastic

— Politics PA: Trafalgar Poll: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano, U.S. Senate Candidate Dr. Oz Gain Ground

— Post-Gazette – Julian Routh: New Poll: Fetterman Leads Dr. Oz 49% To 39%

— TribLive: PA’s High-Stakes U.S. Senate Race Between Dr. Oz, Fetterman Tightens

— AP: Dr. Oz, Fetterman Both Target Suburbs In Key PA U.S. Senate Race

— Post-Gazette – Julian Routh: U.S. Senate Candidates’ Approaches To Crime, Justice Are Often Blurred And Complicated

— Inquirer: Debate Over Debates In PA Governor, U.S. Senate Races Devolve Into Trash Talk, Predawn Tweets

— TribLive: Fetterman, Dr. Oz To Debate In Late October

— TribLive: Dr. Oz Backs U.S. Senate Bill To Protect Same-Sex Marriage

— Inquirer: Focusing On Crime, Republicans Think They Finally Put Fetterman On Defensive

— Inquirer: Fetterman Released Some Results From A Cognitive Test Related To Stroke

— TribLive: ‘Women Are The Reason We Can Win’: Fetterman Says At Abortion Rights Rally

— November 2022 Election

— MCall – Ford Turner: Top PA Election Officials Says Undated Ballots Count; State, Counties Ready For Nov. 8 Election

— The Center Square – Anthony Hennen: PA Expands Election Funds And Audits

— LancasterOnline: PA Latino Convention To Address Health, Education, Latino Political Power Starting Sept. 29 In Allentown

— PennLive: Lycoming County Commissioners Rescind Action To Put Getting Rid Of Electronic Voting System On The Ballot

— Post-Gazette: Election-Denying ‘Patriot’ Groups Trying To Stop Use Of Electronic Voting Machines Across PA

— MCall: Despite Lawsuit, Lehigh County Approves 5 Ballot Drop Boxes For General Election

— MCall: Group Founded By Ex-President’s Staff Sues Lehigh County To Restrict Use Of Ballot Drop Boxes

— Wilkes-Barre Times Editorial: Luzerne County Council Obsesses Over Ballot Drop Boxes While Real Issues Pile Up

— PennLive: Major Party Candidates Get The Attention, But PA Voters Have Minor Party Options, Too

— Centre Daily Times: Candidate Forum Canceled In Centre County; Republicans Not Participating

— Inquirer: Philly Republicans Threaten Discipline For Officials Who Helped Put Green Party On November Ballot

— LancasterOnline: We Have Questions For Debate-Shy Republican Cong. Smucker

— Citizens Voice: Republican Cong. Meuser Reported Stock Trades In Companies Influenced By Committee Work

— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

— PA Capital-Star: Fixing One Problem With PA Elections Could Bolster Public Confidence, Democrats Say [Spoiler – Allow Counties To Start Counting Mail-In Ballots Earlier]

— WITF: House Advances 3 Election Law Changes With Near-Unanimous Support From Key House Committee

— WITF: Senate Republicans’ Election Investigation Gets Hearing In Commonwealth Court, Nearly A Year After It Started

— WHYY: Delaware County Still Paying To Fend Off Groundless Republican Election Fraud Lawsuits From 2020; County Has 15-0 Record

— MCall – Paul Muschick: Lehigh County DA Is Right Again About Securing Ballot Boxes, But His Fear-Mongering Is Disappointing

— PennLive Guest Essay: Knee-Jerk Hostility Has Become The Order Of The Day – Mark Singel

— AP: Voter Challenges, Records Requests By Election Deniers Swamp Election Offices

— AP: Breaches Of Voting Machine Data Raise Worries For Midterm, One Involves Prominent Loyalist To Ex-President

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

— Post-Gazette: Ex-President: There Will Be ‘Problems In This Country The Likes Of Which Perhaps We’ve Never Seen Before’ If He’s Indicted

— Post-Gazette: Allegheny Man Charged With Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol Set To Plead Guilty

— Post-Gazette: Uniontown Man Accused Of Pepper-Spraying Police During Assault On U.S. Capitol Was Lawfully Searched

— PennLive: Cumberland County Woman Accused Of Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol Allowed To Visit Renaissance Faire Again

— Inquirer: Bucks County Republicans Oust Committee Person Convicted Of Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol

— Scranton Times Editorial: Luzerne County Man Sentenced For Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol

— York Daily Record: Ethics Complaint Accuses Republican Cong. Scott Perry Of ‘Misconduct’ In Aiding Ex-President In 2020

— WPXI: PA Man Wearing Rainbow Wig ‘Working To Restore Ex-President To King’ Arrested After Carrying Loaded Gun Into Dairy Queen

— TribLive: Westmoreland County Man Arrested Wearing Clown Wig, Carrying 3 Loaded Handguns And 62 Rounds Of Ammunition At Dairy Queen

— TribLive: Man Stopped At Dairy Queen With Guns Told Police He Was ‘Fighting The Shadow  Fake Presidency’

— Inquirer Editorial: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thomas Must Recuse Himself In Cases Involving Ex-President

— Inquirer Guest Essay: Governors Of Texas, Florida Who Shipped Migrants North Took A Page From An Old, Racist Playbook – Segregationists From The South Did The Same Thing To African Americans During 1960s

— State Constitutional Amendments

— AP: PA Supreme Court Tells Wolf It Won’t Fast Track Lawsuit Against Constitutionality Of Proposed Constitutional Amendments 

— PA Capital-Star: Advocates Voice Opposition To Republican Constitutional Amendment Package: ‘We All Have Work To Do’

— PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: PA Voters Deserve All The Facts On Proposed Constitutional Amendments – By Patrick Beaty

— Inquirer Guest Essay: To PA Lawmakers: Stop Trying To Rush New Laws By Constitutional Amendments That Sidestep Our Normal Process – Al Schmidt, Committee Of Seventy (Former Republican Member Of Philadelphia Elections Board)

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Restraining Constitutional Chaos In Pennsylvania

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

— PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

— Beaver County Times/Erie Times: Three Farmers’ Almanacs Call For Heavy Snow, Cold Weather In Western PA

— Observer: Electric Home Heating Costs To Increase This Winter Due To Increase In Natural Gas Costs; National Fuel Gas Raises Rates

— WSJ: Rising Natural Gas Prices Expected To Make It More Expensive To Light, Heat Homes As Winter Looms

— MCall – Ford Turner: PA Lawmakers Seek Report On Inflation: Natural Gas Increased 33% In Last 12 Months

— 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]

— PUC Approves 6.2% Increase For Natural Gas For UGI Utilities In 2 Steps By October 2023

— PUC Acts To Investigate Philadelphia Natural Gas Works Weather Price Adjustment, But Leaves PGW’s Original WPA Rate System In Place

— Inquirer – Andrew Maykuth: PUC Will Investigate Philly Natural Gas Works Rates After Summer ‘Weather Normalization’ Debacle

— Baker Hughes PA Natural Gas Drill Rig Count – No Change In Last 7 Weeks – 23

— WESA/NPR: Soaring Electricity Largely As A Result Of High-Priced Natural Gas Are Latest Inflation Flashpoint

— Bloomberg: U.S. Natural Gas Prices Surge 11.5% In Biggest One-Day Gain Since July

— Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Price Jumps As EU Unveils Energy Intervention Plan, Including Price Index For LNG Imports

— CNN: Americans Should Brace For Higher Natural Gas Prices, Chevron CEO Says

— Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

— Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso: Plan To Force A Vote In House On Lawmaker Gift Ban Fails, Members Shrug

— PA Capital-Star: PA House Fails To Vote On Gift Ban, But Advocates Say ‘There’s Still Time’

— MCall Guest Essay: Rules We Need To Prevent Corruption In The General Assembly

— Post-Gazette Editorial: PA Legislators’ Shameless Response To Gift Ban Bill

— Scranton Times Editorial: PA Lawmakers Preserve Right To Be Greased

— MCall – Paul Muschick: Catholic Church Child Sex Abuse Victims Deserve Justice, Don’t Let The Election Interfere

— WESA: Elections & Autonomous Cars Are Likely On Legislature’s Fall Agenda

— MCall – Ford Turner: PA Lawmakers Seek Report On Inflation: Natural Gas Increased 33% In Last 12 Months

— Erie Times Guest Essay: Misclassifying Workers Means They Lose Out On Millions In Lost Revenue – Reps. Galloway, McClinton, Harkins

— TribLive: Bill Would Let People Ban Themselves From Buying Booze In PA

— Post-Gazette Guest Essay: What Sports Betting Has Done For Western PA – Rep. Matzie

— NextPittsburgh: Is Pennsylvania On The Verge Of Adopting A ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law?

— York Dispatch Editorial: There Is No ‘Transgender Question,’ There Are Only People

— TribLive: Former Rep. Jeff Pyle Dies

— Budget 2022

— MCall: NY City Casinos Are Coming, What Does It Mean For Bethlehem Casino?

— Post-Gazette Guest Essay: What Sports Betting Has Done For Western PA – Rep. Matzie

— Scranton Times Editorial: State Creates, Ignores Gambling Addiction

— York Daily Record: Here’s How The PA Turnpike Is Working To Collect Millions In Unpaid Tolls

— MCall – Paul Muschick: 3 Ways To Force Turnpike Toll Deadbeats To Pay Up

— TribLive Editorial: Turnpike Debt Problems Must Be Harrisburg Priority

— COVID Pandemic/Health

— MCall: PA COVID Update: Deaths At Lowest Levels In A Year, Lehigh Valley Reclassified As Minimally Impacted

— Centre Daily Times: Centre County Drops Back To Medium COVID Level, 14 PA Counties At High

— TribLive: Explainer: Is COVID Winding Down? Scientists Say No

— Post-Gazette: Local Experts Urge Residents To Maintain COVID Safeguards

— TribLive: 5 Things To Know About Updated COVID Booster Shots

— PennLive: New COVID Booster Shots Roll Into Central PA: What You Need To Know

— Post-Gazette: Reports Of Child Abuse In PA Going Back To Pre-Pandemic Levels Amid Social Worker Staffing Shortage

— Spotlight PA: PA Law Protects Workers Who Use Medical Marijuana, But Once They Use It, It’s A Different Story

— TribLive Editorial: Fix Medical Marijuana Loopholes Before Growing To Recreational Use

— Reading Eagle: Pennie A One-Stop Shop For Health Insurance For Pennsylvanians

— COVID – Schools

— Erie Times: Judge Tosses Anti-Mask Lawsuits Against Millcreek, NE School Districts

— Opioid Deaths

— PennLive: AG Shapiro: PA Share Of Massive Opioid Settlement Will Pay For Treatment, Prevention, Not ‘Potholes’

— The Center Square – Anthony Hennen: PA Counties Take The Lead In Spending Opioid Settlement Dollars

— WITF: PA Counties Receive First Payments From Opioid Settlement

— Erie Times: Erie County Sues 5 Pharmacy Chains, Claims Opioid Negligence, 103 Million Pills Sold

— WESA: Greene County Doctor 1 Of 5 To Plead Guilty In WV Opioid Pill Scheme

— TribLive Editorial: Westmoreland County Should Focus On Doling Out Opioid Settlement Dollars Before Eyeing Next Lawsuit

— Inquirer: Tennessee Traces Its Opioid Crisis To A Malvern Drug Company

— Inquirer: Meth Now Involved In An Increasing Number Of Overdoses In PA, NJ

— School Districts/Higher Education

— MCall: Shooting Threat Closed Lehigh Valley Schools For 2 Days, Police Say

— MCall: Pornographic Photo Sent To East Penn School Parents Part Of Nationwide Hacking Attack

— TribLive: Pine Richland School Parent Voice Concerns Following Racist Social Media Incident Involving Students In Allegheny County

— Inquirer: More Attempts By PA, NJ Parents To Opt-Out Of School Race, Gender Identity Or Sex Education Curriculum

— Warren Times: Republican Lawmakers Propose Content Ban In School Libraries

— TribLive/Spotlight PA: Efforts To Ban, Restrict LGBTQ Curriculum In PA Schools Hing On Who Becomes Next Governor

— WHYY: Central Bucks West Schools Tells Teachers Not To Use Students’ Preferred Names And Pronouns Without Parent Approval

— Inquirer: To Ban Or Not Ban Cell Phones, Without Them Schools See More Learning, Fewer Fights, Calmer Hallways

— Inquirer: PA Waived Basic Skills Requirement For Educators, Will It Work To Attract More Teachers?

— Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Schools Challenge Ruling On Tax Rate Decrease In Allegheny County Property Assessment Appeals

— MCall: Are Community Colleges Accessible Enough To Students Without Cars? National Group Tracks Proximity To Public Transportation

— PA Capital-Star: Drexel University Reduces Tuition For Community College Transfers

— WITF: Penn State Trustees Committee OKs Alcohol Sales At Beaver Football Stadium, Sends It To Full Board

– Spotlight PA: Regular Private Meetings Of Top Penn State Trustees May Be Violating PA’s Transparency Law

— Spotlight PA: Why Did Penn State Create New Vice President Position During Hiring Freeze?

— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement

— PA Capital-Star: Republican Lawmakers To Introduce Mandatory Minimum Sentence For Illegal Firearms Possession

— WHYY: Philly Mayor Kenney, DA Krasner, Police Commissioner Outlaw Join Call For Public To Help Combat Gun Violence

— Inquirer: Philly’s Gun Violence Spending Is Surging, But Many Programs Lack Clear Goals To Show Progress

— WITF: Lancaster County Church Starts Initiative To End Gun Violence

— MCall: Juvenile With A Gun Prompted Lockdown At Allentown Schools Thursday

— PennLive: Low Turnout For Republican Rep. Metcalfe’s Annual Gun Rally Doesn’t Dampen Pro-Gun Fervor

— WESA: Effort To Grant ‘Clean Slate’ For Minor Crimes Attracts Rare Bipartisan Consensus

— MCall: The Country Doesn’t Want To Keep Sending People To Jail Again And Again, It’s Trying To Figure Out How To Help Them

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Plan For Statewide Review Of Jail Fatalities Demands Action

— PennLive Guest Essay: Staffing Crisis In PA State Prisons Is Dangerous For Everyone – Corrections Officer Union

— PA Capital-Star: Allegheny County Prosecutors, Public Defenders Demand Fair Pay As Bargaining Negotiations Break Down

— Inquirer: Federal Judge: Philly DA’s Office Misled Court While Trying To Free A Man From Death Row

— WHYY: PA House Votes To Hold Philly DA In Contempt For Defying Subpoena

— MCall: 5 Injured In Explosion At PA State Prison In Montgomery County During Bomb Squad Training Exercise

— MCall – Paul Muschick: Catholic Church Child Sex Abuse Victims Deserve Justice, Don’t Let The Election Interfere

— The Hill: Biden Signs Bill Eliminating Civil Statute Of Limitations For Child Sex Abuse Victims

— PA Economy

— Gov. Wolf: $246 Million In American Rescue Plan Funding Awarded To Support Small Businesses Across PA

— Dept. Of Labor & Industry Reported August Unemployment Down To 4.2%, Lowest Rate In 20 Years

— Post-Gazette – Salena Zito: Remembering Black Monday In 1977 When Steel Plant Shutdowns Begin Throwing 40,000 Steelworks Out Of Work

— PennLive: Are Union Efforts Gaining Momentum At Central PA Restaurants?  ‘Workers Have A Lot Of Leverage’

— Erie Times Guest Essay: Misclassifying Workers Means They Lose Out On Millions In Lost Revenue – Reps. Galloway, McClinton, Harkins

— MCall: Allentown Food Bank Sees 230% Increase In Clients; How Lehigh Valley Food Pantries Are Battling Inflation-Fueled Hunger

— TribLive Editorial: Hallam’s Airbnb Ban Shows Struggle Between Safety And Freedom

— WESA: Averted Railway Strike Underscores Fragile State Of Supply Chains In PA

— WSJ: COVID Illnesses Keeping At Least 400,000 Workers Out Of U.S. Labor Force, Study Says

— PUC Reminds Consumers To Stay Connected Thru Lifeline And Affordable Telecommunications Connectivity Initiatives

TAP HERE for all articles in September 19 EXPRESS Update