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
— 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
— 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
— 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
— 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
— 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
— 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
— 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
— 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
— 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
— 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
— 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
— 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
— 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
— 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