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


Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else–

Transition – Governor

— AP: Shapiro Taps Longtime Aides For Top Jobs In Governor’s Office

— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Gov.-Elect Shapiro Choses Jennifer Selber, AG Crime Staffer, As General Counsel

— Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso: Shapiro Names Uri Monson, Budget Secretary, Larry Hailsham Executive Deputy Chief Of Staff

— Post-Gazette: Michelle Henry, Shapiro’s Successor For Attorney General Is No Stranger To The Big Stage

— PA Municipal League Envision 2032 Recommendations In 7 Key Topics, Including Healthy, Sustainable Communities

— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Wolf Leaves Office With Few Regrets, No Grudges

— PennLive: Five Things You May Not Know About Gov. Wolf

Transition – Senate/House

— PA Capital-Star: Control Of State House Hangs On 3 Allegheny County Special Elections

— AP: House Republicans Sue Over Special Election In Battle For House Majority

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Legislative Reference Bureau Opinion Says Neither Party Has A PA House Majority [May Only Count Living Members]

— City & State PA: Legislative Agency Says Democrats Lack A Majority In The PA House

— Erie Times: House Leadership War Sets Ugly Tone For PA’s Next Legislative Session

— WESA: Slugfest In Harrisburg As Democrats, Republicans Fight Over Control Of PA House

— AP: PA House Democrats Move To Take Power, Schedule 3 Special Elections; Republicans Protest Moves

— Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso: Dispute Over PA House Special Elections, Control Likely Heading To Court

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA House’s Unprecedented Power Struggle Shows No Let Up In The Drama Surrounding It

— City & State PA: Tug Of War For Control Of State House Intensifies

— Sen. Ward Announces Staff Appointments For Office Of Senate President Pro Tempore

— Sen. Pittman Announces Staff For The Majority Leader’s Office

— November Election

— AP: Governor’s Race Broke PA Campaign Spending Record

— Spotlight PA: PA Governor’s Race Cost $100 Million

— The Center Square: Top Five Most Expensive PA Senate Elections, And The Results

— TribLive: Westmoreland County Recount Completed, No Evidence Of Widespread Errors Found

— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

— Spotlight PA: Wolf Administration Seeks To Finish Off PA Senate Republican Languishing 2020 Election Inquiry

— Inquirer/TNS: Could PA Republicans Now Be In Favor Of Using Mail-In Ballots? A Lot Of ‘Soul Searching Right Now’

— AP: U.S. Dept. Of Justice Subpoenas PA, Other Local Election Officials Where Ex-President Disputed Election Results

— PennLive: Lawsuit Seeks Forensic Audit Of 2020 [Yes 2020] Election Results In Lycoming County

— Inquirer: Giuliani Doubles Down On False PA Election Fraud Claims In Legal Disciplinary Hearing

— AP: Ex-President Blowback Could Carry Less Bite In 2024 For Some Republicans

— PennLive – John Baer: 2024 Presidential Race Starting To Take Shape, But Not A Shape Anyone Wants

— Inquirer Editorial: Ex-President Hits New Low With Threat To Suspend Constitution

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

— Pittsburgh Union Progress: Western Pennsylvania Charged With Crimes During Assault On U.S. Capitol Are Pleading Guilty And Going To Jail

— TribLive: Uniontown Man Convicted Of Crimes Related To His Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol

— State Constitutional Amendments

— Scranton Times Editorial: Put Hold On State Constitutional Amendments

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

— PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

— PUC Winter Natural Gas Reliability Reports – Households Using Natural Gas Will See A Significant Increase In Heating Bills  [PaEN]

— PennLive: Customers Going To Pay More For Electric, Natural Gas In Central PA

— Altoona Mirror: PA Homeowners Could See Heating Oil Prices Increase 45% This Winter

— Williamsport Sun: Home Heating Oil Prices Remain High In Region, Winter Costs Uncertain

— PUC Approves 10.6% Increase In Natural Gas Rates By Valley Energy, Bradford County [PA’s #3 County In Natural Gas Production]

— PUC To Investigate Proposed 9.2% Natural Gas Rate Increase By National Fuel Gas

— PUC Rejects Proposed Settlement With Columbia Gas Over 2019 House Explosion In Washington County

— PUC Approves A Partial Settlement To Increase Natural Gas Rates For Columbia Gas 4.6%

— PUC Approves 6.8% Increase In Electric Rates For Citizens’ Electric Company Of Lewisburg

— The Center Square – Anthony Hennen: PA Natural Gas Price Up 95%; New Shale Gas Wells Up 42%

— Williamsport Sun: PA Natural Gas Price Up 95%, New Wells Up 42%

— Independent Fiscal Office Reports 3rd Quarter PA Natural Gas Production Dropped For 3rd Consecutive Quarter Over 2021; PA Hub Natural Gas Price Increased 94.7% Over Last Year  [PaEN]

— Baker Hughes PA Natural Gas Drilling Rig Count Same As Last Week – 22

— Financial Times: Biden Adviser Calls Refusal Of U.S. Shale Oil/Gas Investors To Ramp Up Drilling And Collect Dividends Instead  ‘Un-American’

— Power For Tomorrow: The Impact Of Natural Gas Price Spikes On Electricity Prices

— Marcellus Drilling News: Marcellus/Utica Drillers (All Gas Drillers) Had Fantastic Third Quarter Earnings

— Reuters: U.S. Natural Gas Futures Jump 5% On Colder Forecasts For Late December

— Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Prices Surge As Winter Blast Stokes Demand [Watch PA Prices Increase]

— Pittsburgh Business Times: Publicly Traded Shale Gas Producers Haven’t Increased Pace Of Drilling In Spite Of Higher Prices; New Report Says Privately Owned Drillers Are

— Canary Media Guest Essay: LNG Natural Gas Exports Hurt Americans By Driving Home Heating Costs To Record Highs

— U.S. EIA: Natural Gas Prices To Increase Even More In December Due To Winter Demand, Rising LNG Exports

— AAA: Gasoline Prices Nationally Lower Than A Year Ago – But Not In PA

— TribLive: OPEC+ Oil Production Cuts, Russian Price Cap Could Disrupt Falling Gasoline Prices

— Reuters: Oil Price Falls Close To 2022 Lows On Economic Worries, Easing Supply Fears

— PA/Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

— PA Capital-Star: Control Of State House Hangs On 3 Allegheny County Special Elections

— AP: House Republicans Sue Over Special Election In Battle For House Majority

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Legislative Reference Bureau Opinion Says Neither Party Has A PA House Majority [May Only Count Living Members]

— City & State PA: Legislative Agency Says Democrats Lack A Majority In The PA House

— Erie Times: House Leadership War Sets Ugly Tone For PA’s Next Legislative Session

— WESA: Slugfest In Harrisburg As Democrats, Republicans Fight Over Control Of PA House

— AP: PA House Democrats Move To Take Power, Schedule 3 Special Elections; Republicans Protest Moves

— Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso: Dispute Over PA House Special Elections, Control Likely Heading To Court

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA House’s Unprecedented Power Struggle Shows No Let Up In The Drama Surrounding It

— City & State PA: Tug Of War For Control Of State House Intensifies

— Scranton Times: With PA Lawmakers Salaries Up A Lot Again, Some Say It’s Time For A New Approach

— MCall – Paul Muschick: PA Lawmakers Cash In On Inflation While Ignoring Plight Of Retirees

— TribLive Editorial: Senate Should Follow House And End Luxury Car Leases

— Sen. Ward Announces Staff Appointments For Office Of Senate President Pro Tempore

— Sen. Pittman Announces Staff For The Majority Leader’s Office

— WESA: 8 Democrats To Vie For Late Rep. DeLuca’s House Seat

— TribLive: Democrats, Republicans To Nominate Candidates For 3 Special Election Races For House Seats

— LancasterOnline – Brad Bumsted: Fmr Republican Lt. Gov. Candidate DelRosso Could Jump Into Allegheny County Special Election For State House Seat

— Politics PA: Heard Around The Pennsylvania Society Dinner In NYC

— Wilkes-Barre Times: Fmr Sen. Yudichak Joins Lobbying Firm

— Budget 2023

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA’s Delayed $100 Million System For Handling State Taxes Finally Goes Live

— COVID Pandemic/Health

— MCall: PA COVID Update: Weekly Cases Jump 30% To 13,936 As One Treatment Proves Ineffective Against New Variants, Flu Rates Soar

— Inquirer: COVID Cases Climb In PA, NJ In Wake Of Thanksgiving

— PennLive: Overcrowded ERs: Triple Threat Infections, Nursing Shortages Hammer Hospital Emergency Services

— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement

— Post-Gazette: Michelle Henry, Shapiro’s Successor For Attorney General Is No Stranger To The Big Stage

— Spotlight PA: Gov. Wolf Spends Thousands On Private Law Firms But Won’t Disclose Why

— Inquirer: Philly DA Says Republican Effort To Remove Him Part Of An ‘Authoritarian Attack’ On Democracy

— PA Economy

— TribLive: Pittsburgh Unemployment Near Record Laws, But Region Is Slow To Regain Workers

— WESA: IFO: Young Workers Left PA’s Labor Force At Highest Rate After The Pandemic Began

— AP: PA Panel Updates Anti-Discrimination Regulations

— TribLive: REAL ID Deadline Extended Again Until 2025

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