PA Capitol Report: Top 10 Stories On Harrisburg/PA Politics Last Week
Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else–
— January 17 – Gov.-elect Shapiro, Lt. Gov-elect Davis Inauguration
— Governor’s Transition
— Spotlight PA: Shapiro Taps Republican Al Schmidt To Be PA’s Top Election Official
— AP: Ex-Philadelphia Elections Official Picked For Key State Elections Post
— Erie Times: How The New Governor’s Choices Will Impact PA In 2023
— Gov.-Elect Shapiro Announces Updated Staff List
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Shapiro’s Inauguration Promises To Be A Hot Ticket, If You Can Get One
— AP: Republican Sen. Kim Ward Begins Brief Role As Lt. Governor As Fetterman Leaves For U.S. Senate
— PA Senate/House Transition
— Spotlight PA: Democrats, Handful Of Republicans Picked PA House’s New Speaker
— MCall – Ford Turner: Democratic Rep. Mark Rozzi Becomes House Speaker, Vows To Become Independent, Fight ‘Back Room Dealmaking’
— PennLive – Charles Thompson: House Elects Berks County Rep. Rozzi As An Independent Speaker
— City & State PA: State House Shocker – Rozzi To Lead Chamber
— PA Capital-Star: PA Legislature Elects Rep. Mark Rozzi, Its First Independent Speaker
— Inquirer: New PA House Speaker Was A Surprise, Here’s What Happened
— UnionProgress.com: New PA House Speaker Sets Feb. 7 Dates For 2 House Special Elections To Fill Vacancies
— Spotlight PA: Will A Surprise Speaker Pick Make PA House Less Partisan?
— Inquirer: Black Philly Lawmaker Was In Line To Be PA’s First Female House Speaker; They Elected A White Guy Instead
— Spotlight PA: What Rep. Rozzi’s Record Can Tell Us About What Kind Of PA House Speaker He’ll Be
— PA Capital-Star: New House Speaker Vows To Halt All Other Legislation Until General Assembly Passes Child Abuse Survivors’ Constitutional Amendment
— AP: New PA House Speaker Puts Sexual Abuse Statute Of Limitations Lawsuit Window Atop Agenda
— MCall – Ford Turner: Wolf’s Call For Special Session On Child Sex Abuse Amendment Triggers New Partisan Battle In Harrisburg
— Inquirer: New House Speaker Rozzi’s Secret Deal To Become Speaker Isn’t The First Time He’s Left Allies Reeling
— MCall – Paul Muschick: Legislature Shouldn’t Need A ‘Special Session’ To Address Child Sexual Abuse, It Should Just Do Its Job
— Washington Examiner – Salena Zito: PA Democrats Upended As House Speaker Flips To Independent
— MCall – Paul Muschick: 3 Suggestions For New House Speaker
— PennLive – John Baer: Imagine What This ‘Independent’ House Speaker Could Mean For PA
— TribLive Editorial: Surprising Resolution To PA House Speaker Vote
— PennLive Editorial: PA House Election For Speaker Shows The Nation What Compromise, Bipartisanship Look Like
— Post-Gazette Editorial: Success Of PA House Speaker Compromise Will Depend On Cross-Aisle Trust
— City & State PA: House Republicans Warn Members Against Accepting Deals From Democrats Ahead Of House Speaker Vote
— Spotlight PA: Who Will Lead The PA House? Lawmakers Will Soon Decide As Power Struggle Continues
— U.S. Senate/House
— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Republican PA Cong. Scott Perry Claims Wins For Equal Representation In U.S. House Speaker Battle
— Inquirer: PA Republican Cong. Scott Perry Emerges As Key Voice Against Kevin McCarthy’s Bid For U.S. House Speaker
— Inquirer: PA Republican Cong. Scott Perry Nominated As Republican Alternative For U.S. House Speaker
— PennLive: Congressional Republicans Elect A New Speaker
— PennLive Guest Essay: Sportsmanship Matters At The Bengals/Bills Game And In Congress – By Mark Singel
— AP: PA Senator Bob Casey To Undergo Prostate Cancer Surgery
— PennLive: Fetterman Announces Nearly 20 New Staff Hires For PA, DC Offices
— Special Elections
— UnionProgress.com: Legislative Leaders Agree In Court To Feb. 7 Special Election Date To Fill House Seat Held By The Late Rep. DeLuca
— UnionProgress.com: New PA House Speaker Sets Feb. 7 Dates For 2 House Special Elections To Fill Vacancies
— Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso: Speaker Rozzi Reaffirmed Feb. 7 Special Election Dates For 2 Other Vacant House Seats In Allegheny County
— November 2021 Election
— AP: Majority Of 16,000 Canceled PA Mail-In Ballots Were From Democrats
— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout
— AP: Majority Of 16,000 Canceled PA Mail-In Ballots Were From Democrats
— PA’s Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol
— USA Today: 950 People Charged With Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol, Investigation ‘Farm From Over’ [In PA 75 Charged, 3rd Highest Total]
— Post-Gazette: How The Oath Keepers Turned Pennsylvania Into A Far-Right Militia Recruiting Hotbed
— TribLive: 2 Years Laters: An Update On Western PA Residents Charged With Crimes Related To The Assault On U.S. Capitol
— MCall – Paul Muschick: 2 Years After Assault On U.S. Capitol, Democracy Remains Under Attack
— UnionProgress.com: Crawford County Man Pleads Guilty To Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol, Faces U.S. Prison
— Williamsport Sun: Williamsport Man Sentenced To Jail, Probation For Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol
— AP: Proud Boys Go To Trial On Sedition As Probe Heats Up On Assault On U.S. Capitol
— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Progressive Leaders Plan Harrisburg Rally To Remember Assault On U.S. Capitol
— State Constitutional Amendments
— MCall – Ford Turner: Wolf’s Call For Special Session On Child Sex Abuse Amendment Triggers New Partisan Battle In Harrisburg
— PA Capital-Star: New House Speaker Vows To Halt All Other Legislation Until General Assembly Passes Child Abuse Survivors’ Constitutional Amendment
— Inquirer: New House Speaker Rozzi’s Secret Deal To Become Speaker Isn’t The First Time He’s Left Allies Reeling
— AP: New PA House Speaker Puts Sexual Abuse Statute Of Limitations Lawsuit Window Atop Agenda
— MCall – Paul Muschick: Legislature Shouldn’t Need A ‘Special Session’ To Address Child Sexual Abuse, It Should Just Do Its Job
— Spotlight PA: Complete Guide To More Than 70 Proposed Amendments To State Constitution
— PA Politics Of Russian Invasion
— TribLive: Cold Weather, Refinery Issues Push National Gasoline Prices Higher; PA Prices Largely Unchanged
— Bloomberg: Fertilizer Prices Fall To Lowest In 19 Months As Natural Gas Price Drops
— WSJ: Natural Gas Prices Plunge As Unseasonably Warm Weather Is Forecast
— Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Prices Fall For 4th Week As Energy Crisis Abates
— PA/Harrisburg Politics Potpourri
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Meet The New General Assembly: Diversity, Historic Firsts And A Doc In The House
— Inquirer: Philadelphia Democrats Have A Big Problem – Turnout In Free Fall
— MCall – Ford Turner: PA Enacted 166 New Laws In 2022, The Most In 6 Years
— Budget 2023
— Dept. Of Revenue: December State Revenues $319.9 Million, 8.6% Over Estimates; Up $503.1 Million For Fiscal Year
— Independent Fiscal Office: December State Revenues $429.8 Million, 11.9% Over IFO Estimates; Up $1.16 Billion For Fiscal Year
— COVID Pandemic/Health
— Inquirer: New COVID Variant Drives Increase In Cases In PA, NJ
— WHYY: Philly Schools To Temporarily Return To Mandatory Masking
— School Districts/Higher Education
— WHYY: Still Awaiting Ruling, PA School Funding Lawsuit Stretches Into 2023
— Inquirer: Progressives Organizing To Monitor PA School Boards In Pushback To Book Bans, ‘Harmful’ Actions
— PA Economy
— TribLive: Joe Hardy, 84 Lumber And Nemacolin Woodlands Resort Founder, Dead At 100