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🏈  Eagles (15-3) | Sun vs. LA Rams
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🏀  Sixers (15-23) | Oklahoma City 102-118 | Wed vs. New York

🔉  What We’re Hearing. “It has been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years. Nowhere else on Earth could a kid with a stutter from modest beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, one day sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as President of the United States. I have given my heart and my soul to our nation. And I have been blessed a million times in return with the love and support of the American people.” – President Joe Biden

📱  Social Media. PoliticsPA has a number of social media outlets for you to get the latest political news from around the Commonwealth: Twitter | Bluesky | Facebook | LinkedIn

Top Story

1. U.S. House Republicans Pass Bill to Bar Transgender Athletes From Girls’ Sports

“The first step toward barring transgender students from competing in girls’ athletics occurred on Tuesday when the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.”

The bill – H.R. 28 – would amend Title IX to prohibit schools from allowing transgender female athletes to participate in athletic programs or activities “designated for women or girls.”

It defines sex as “based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.”” (PoliticsPA)

Elsewhere

Biden Recounts Pennsylvania Accomplishments Ahead of Farewell Address. “As the final days of his administration wind down, President Joe Biden is looking back at his accomplishments, especially those in his adopted home state of Pennsylvania. And others are taking note as well.” (PoliticsPA)

Biden to Deliver Farewell Address, Capping a 5-Decade Political Career. “The president has sought to portray his administration as transformative, but his speech on Wednesday night comes amid a backdrop in which he is not leaving on his own terms.” (NY Times)

The Democratic Party’s Leadership Crisis: ‘Don’t Know’ and ‘Nobody’ Outpoll Pols. “The Democratic Party has a leadership crisis in 2025. Don’t take my word for it, we polled the question last week. When asked to name the leader of the Democratic Party, nearly half of all registered voters nationally in our Suffolk University/USA TODAY couldn’t name a person or volunteered “Nobody.”” (USA Today)

State

2. Special Counsel Report: Trump Tried To Void 300K Philadelphia Votes

“President-elect Donald Trump and his team attempted to declare 300,000 votes in the City of Philadelphia unlawful and illegal in his quest to remain in power, according to the 174-page report released today by special counsel Jack Smith.

Although the plan was never realized, it was discussed among his most ardent supporters, including Rudy Giuliani, then Trump’s personal lawyer. Giuliani said “their primary objective was to “just flat out change the vote, deduct that number of votes from the – declare those votes, 300,000 votes in Philadelphia, illegal, unlawful. Reduce the number by 300,000.”” (PoliticsPA)

Elsewhere

Pennsylvania Lawmaker on Trump Tax Cuts: Everyone Should Pay Their Fair Share, Especially Foreign Countries. “Rep. Scott Perry, R-PA., joins ‘FOX Business Live’ to discuss Trump creating an external revenue service, House GOP looking to make Trump tax cuts permanent and sending disaster aid to California.” (Fox Business)

Abortion Rights in PA Could Run Through Fall’s Judicial Election. “Ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration, Pittsburgh City Paper is reviewing Pennsylvania’s current political landscape and its impact on abortion and reproductive rights. The battle runs through a Pittsburgh reproductive health clinic, a landmark Pennsylvania Supreme Court case, and an upcoming judicial election.” (Pittsburgh City Paper)

PA Panel Launches Attempt to Tie Some Funding For Pitt, 2 Other Universities to Performance. “A new council on Tuesday met in the Capitol to start figuring out how to make at least some of the half-billion dollars-plus that the state sends annually to the Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh and Temple University dependent on school performance.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Gainey, O’Connor Talk Youth Programs in First Policy Debate of 2025 Mayoral Race

“The first policy debate of Pittsburgh’s 2025 mayoral race began in the bitter cold outside Troy Hill’s shuttered Cowley Recreation Center, where challenger Corey O’Connor vowed to expand resources for youth and families.

He gestured to the building behind him as an example of a community resource that Mayor Ed Gainey’s administration had neglected.” (WESA)

Elsewhere

Former Philly Judge Announces Run For District Attorney, Setting Up Likely Democratic Primary Challenge. “Former Philadelphia Judge Patrick Dugan announced Tuesday that he will run for district attorney, setting up a likely Democratic primary between him and incumbent Larry Krasner.” (WHYY)

Crozer-Chester Medical Center’s Bankruptcy Fate Could Be Known Early Next Week. “A new operator for Crozer Health could be picked as soon a next week, or the decision to close Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital could be made, a Prospect bankruptcy attorney said.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Pennsylvania Launches Rural Population Revitalization Commission. “Pennsylvania’s rural population is expected to shrink by 5.8% by 2050. The state legislature wants to reverse the drain through a new commission.” (WVIA)

Judge Ammerman Announces Retirement at the End of 2025. “President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman of Clearfield announced he is resigning at the end of 2025 after 31 years on the bench. He also said Judge Paul E. Cherry of DuBois will be taking over as president judge in 2026.” (DuBois Courier Express)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• Trump Is Right About Panama Canal. (Rep. Mike Kelly)
• Billionaires May Shape Philly’s Landscape, But They Do Not Define Our Character. (Stephanie Farr)
• Disasters Should Not Be a Time to Score Political Points. (Mark S. Singel)
• Josh Shapiro: Leading From Behind. (Lowman Henry)
• Wolf and Shapiro Administrations Wrongly Withheld Details of Taxpayer Money Spent On Legal Firms. (LNP | Lancaster Online)
• A.J. Brown and the Joy of Reading. (Gene Collier)
• The Case For a Politics of Repair. (Diana Lind)
• Rules Must Change to Avoid PA Energy Cost Hikes. (Scranton Times-Tribune)

1 Marriage Thing

5. Waiting to Wed

Pennsylvanians are taking the plunge later in life.

• By the numbers: The median age of those getting married for the first time in the Keystone State was 30.3 in 2023, per census data.

That’s up from 28 years old in 2010, per census data. (Axios Philadelphia)

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