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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else–

— Governor’s Transition

— AP: Shapiro’s Bipartisanship Talk Welcome In Fight-Weary State Capitol

— PennLive: Gov.-Elect Josh Shapiro To Hold Inauguration Celebration At Rock Lititz, Lancaster County

— Inquirer Column: Will Shapiro Do To PA’s Pension Billions What He Did In Montgomery County?

— PA Senate/House Transition

— Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso: PA Republicans Fight To Prolong House Majority And Pass Far-Reaching State Constitutional Amendments

— LancasterOnline – Brad Bumsted: As Parties Squabble Over Claim PA House Majority, Proposed Abortion Amendment Looms Over Start Of 2023 Legislative Session

— LancasterOnline: What’s In PA Republicans’ Package Of State Constitutional Amendments?

— The Center Square: Now Both Parties Claim The House Majority And Authority To Set Special Election Dates

— AP: House Republican Leader Seeks May Vote On Democratic Vacancies In House Power Struggle  [House Democratic Leader Set Feb. 7 For The Special Elections]

— Rep. Cutler: House Republican Leader Cutler Announces May 16 Special Elections For 2 House Seats

— AP: State Election Agency Argues Against Delay In Filling 3 House Vacancies

— Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso: PA Republicans Fight To Prolong House Majority And Pass Far-Reaching State Constitutional Amendments

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA House Democrats Accuse Republican Leader Cutler Of Inappropriate Transfer Of $51.5 Million

— PA Capital-Star: Republican Leader Cutler Sworn In Days After Dems Declare Control Of Special House Elections

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA House Republican Cutler Says ‘The Math’ Makes Him Majority Leader

— Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso: Advocates, Lawmakers Hope PA House Power Shift Opens Door For [Good] Election Law Changes

— PA Capital-Star: Fight Over Control Of PA House Is Harrisburg High-Stakes Lunacy At Its Worst

— MCall – Paul Muschick: Republicans Play Dirty In Power Struggle For PA State House

— MCall – Paul Muschick: How Political Greed Backfired For PA House Democrats

— PennLive – John Baer: Taxpayers Will Pay Lawyer Bills For Both Parties In Fight Over Who Controls PA House

— LancasterOnline Editorial: Squabbling In State House Shows Pennsylvanians How Dysfunctional The Legislature Is

— TribLive Editorial: Voters Control PA House, Not The Parties

— PennLive Guest Essay: PA House Only Needs To Look At History To Find Bipartisanship It So Sorely Lacks – By Mark Singel

— U.S. Senate

— Inquirer: U.S. Senator Pat Toomey Didn’t Change In His 12 Years In Office, The Republican Party Did

— Special Elections

— AP: House Republican Leader Seeks May Vote On Democratic Vacancies In House Power Struggle  [House Democratic Leader Set Feb. 7 For The Special Elections]

— Rep. Cutler: House Republican Leader Cutler Announces May 16 Special Elections For 2 House Seats

— AP: State Election Agency Argues Against Delay In Filling 3 House Vacancies

— MCall – Paul Muschick: Republicans Play Dirty In Power Struggle For PA State House

— PA Capital-Star: Allegheny County Moving Ahead With Special Elections For Vacant House Seats

— WESA: Democrats Choose McAndrew As Nominee To Replace DeLuca In House District

— WESA: Special House Elections Attract Candidates, But Lack Certainty

— Post-Gazette: Republicans Pick Nominees For 3 Open State House Seats In Allegheny County

— TribLive: Fmr Republican Lt. Gov. Candidate Won’t Run For House Seat

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Parties Choose Candidates To Compete For Open State Senate Seat

— Scranton Times: Democrats Select Nominee For Sen. Gordner’s State Senate Seat

— November Election

— AP: Recount Requests Delay Pennsylvania Election Certification

— WHYY: Chester County Judge Dismisses Election Recount Petitions: ‘Courts Are Not Places Where One Comes To Hedge Their Bets’

— Spotlight PA: Despite Midterm Losses, PA Republicans Appear Unlikely To Abandon Combative Agenda

— MCall Guest Essay: Midterm Elections Show Voters Want Governance Not Gridlock – Rep.-Elect Josh Siegel

— TribLive Guest Essay: In PA, Independent Voters Take Center Stage – David Thornburgh

— Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Why Pennsylvania Is Becoming The Most Important Swing State – By David Thornburgh

— Inquirer: Latino Voter Turnout Dropped Sharply In PA’s Midterm Election

— PA Capital-Star: 2 Lehigh Valley Candidates Raised More Than $1 Million Each For Winning State Senate Races

— Inquirer Editorial: Philadelphia’s Voter Turnout Is Down, That’s Bad For Democracy

— Inquirer: Latest Campaign Finance Report Shows $1 Million Left In Republican Gubernatorial Candidate’s Account

— WITF: Chambersburg Won’t Let Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Off The Hook For Paying Police Overtime During Campaign Event

— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

— Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso: Advocates, Lawmakers Hope PA House Power Shift Opens Door For [Good] Election Law Changes

— Scranton Times Editorial: Upgrade State Election Law For Voters

— Spotlight PA: Despite Midterm Losses, PA Republicans Appear Unlikely To Abandon Combative Agenda

— Warren Times: League Of Women Voters Brings #FixHarrisburg Campaign To Warren County

— PennLive: Lycoming County To Begin Hand Recount Of 2020 [Yes 2020] Votes For President, State Auditor General On Jan. 9

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

— Pittsburgh Union Progress: Allegheny County Man Convicted Of Crimes For His Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol Seeking Probation

— Politics PA: Texts Of Former White House Chief Of Staff Show Republican PA Congressmen Perry, Keller, Kelly Plotted To Overturn The 2020 Election Results

— State Constitutional Amendments

— Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso: PA Republicans Fight To Prolong House Majority And Pass Far-Reaching State Constitutional Amendments

— LancasterOnline – Brad Bumsted: As Parties Squabble Over Claim PA House Majority, Proposed Abortion Amendment Looms Over Start Of 2023 Legislative Session

— LancasterOnline: What’s In PA Republicans’ Package Of State Constitutional Amendments?

— Post-Gazette/CapitolWire.com: Commonwealth Court Hears Arguments From Democrats’ Lawyers That Proposed Constitutional Amendments Combined Into One Bill Are Illegal

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

— PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

— Warren Times: Columbia Gas Customers To See Rate Increase

— PPL Utilities: Help Available For Customers To Assistance In Paying Energy Bills

— TribLive: Gasoline Prices Falling Across Nation, But PA Drivers Still Paying More Than Others

— Bloomberg: U.S. Natural Gas Prices Rise As Cold Wave Boosts Heating Demand

— Bloomberg: LNG Natural Gas Supplier New Fortress Surges After 3,000% Dividend Increase

— Financial Times: Biggest U.S. Shale Operator Says More Drilling Would Harm Industry – ‘Pouring Profits Into Faster Output At Expense Of Shareholder Returns Would Send Investors Fleeing’

— Reuters: U.S. Shale Oil Production To Keep Growing, At Snail’s Pace – U.S. EIA

— Reuters: Keystone Oil Pipeline Restart Timetable Unclear After 558,000 Gallon Leak, Traders Worry About Supply

— PA/Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA House Democrats Accuse Republican Leader Cutler Of Inappropriate Transfer Of $51.5 Million

— Inquirer: Republican PA Senate Pro Tempore Kim Ward Talks About Chaos In Harrisburg, Becoming First Female Senate President, Beating Breast Cancer

— Post-Gazette: Rep. Sara Innamorato Joins Growing List Of Democrats Vying For Allegheny County Executive Job

— KYW: Democratic Rep. Amen Brown To Announce Campaign For Philly Major

— PennLive Guest Essay: PA House Only Needs To Look At History To Find Bipartisanship It So Sorely Lacks – By Mark Singel

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Governor Needs To Tell Public Where He Spent $400,000 On Private Law Firms

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Attack On Philly DA’s Office A Dangerous Distraction

— Beaver Times: ‘Sinner’ Not ‘Saint’ – Voters Make Choice In 19th Century Beaver County Republican Senator’s Legacy

— Budget 2023

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: State, School Employee Pension Costs Decrease Next Year For First Time In A Decade

— COVID Pandemic/Health

— MCall: PA COVID Update: Cases Remain Steady As Hospitalizations Rise; Lehigh Valley Rates Jump 66% In 30 Days

— TribLive: Health Providers Advise Caution Around Illness As Holidays Approach

— Warren Times Editorial: Illness Surrounds Us At Holidays – COVID, Flu, RSV– Wearing Masks In Public Protects You, Loved Ones

— Spotlight PA: Gov. Wolf On COVID Policies: ‘I’m Going To Be Second-Guessing Myself Until The Day I Die’

— AG Shapiro: Announces $38 Million Settlement With JUUL For Targeting PA Youth, Deceiving Consumers About E-Cig Safety

— COVID – Schools

— WHYY: Philly Schools Will Require Masking For 2 Weeks Following Winter Break

— TribLive: Respiratory Virus Surge Impacting Western PA Schools

— Opioid Deaths

— AG Shapiro: Additional Opioid-Related Drug Settlements Bring PA More Than $450 Million Over Next 10 Years

— School Districts/Higher Education

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: State, School Employee Pension Costs Decrease Next Year For First Time In A Decade

— PA Economy

— Dept. Of Labor & Industry: PA November Unemployment Rate Remained At 4%

TAP HERE for all articles in December 19 EXPRESS Update