10/27 Ups & Downs

Three Philadelphia Eagles work on bipartisan reform efforts, the constituents of the 18th Congressional district know when they will be represented again, natural gas drillers avoid the severance tax for another year, and state Rep. Kevin Haggerty goes missing from his job duties.  See who made this week’s Ups & Downs!

Up-Arrow4-2 Malcolm Jenkins, Chris Long and Torrey Smith.  The three Philadelphia Eagles came into Harrisburg to lobby on behalf of the Clean Slate legislation sponsored by state Sens. Scott Wagner and Anthony Williams.  The move is a concrete, practical step on their part and very smart politically. Being willing to work on bipartisan, unglamorous issues is how ideals become laws.  

Down Arrow Kevin Haggerty.  State Representative Kevin Haggerty has not been present for a vote since late July.  Not only has Haggerty missed the session, he was refused to directly answer questions about what he has been doing instead, raising more questions about his conduct than answers.  

Up-Arrow4-2

18th Congressional District.  The people of the 18th Congressional district learned this week they will elect the Congressman to finish out the rest of former Congressman Tim Murphy’s term on March 13th of next year.  

Down Arrow Daryl Metcalfe. In a heated public hearing, state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe took what would have been a win for his wing of the Republican Party of showing definitive proof of illegally cast ballots, and turned it into a PR loss through his heavy handed approach of trying to kick fellow state Representatives out of the hearing.  

Up-Arrow4-2

Philadelphia.  With the sentencing of former District Attorney Seth Williams to five years in prison, the city will hopefully be able to move past the turmoil surround the entire ordeal when it elects a new DA this year.  

Down Arrow

Bob Brady.  The walls seem to be closing in around Congressman Bob Brady, as two of his aides have been charged by federal authorities in relation to suspected payoffs from Brady’s campaign to a primary challenger in 2012.  Federal authorities have not said in Brady is under direct investigation or going to be charged.  

Up-Arrow4-2

Natural Gas Drillers.  With the passage of revenue package to end the budget stalemate including gambling expansion and borrowing to close the budget gap, natural gas drillers successfully avoided Governor Wolf’s proposed severance tax for another year.  

Up-Arrow4-2

Everyone. The state budget is finally finished. While the end result relies on more duct tape fixes and one-time transfers that won’t make the credit agencies more confident in the state, it is at least done for the year.

Bonus Up/Down: Every week, PoliticsPA will be including a bonus up or down, that is exclusive to Playbook email subscribers.  To sign up to see the bonus arrow click here.

The tweet of the week goes to former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci and state Senate Democratic spokeswoman Brittany Crampsie for their exchange comparing time spent as spokespersons.  

7 Responses

  1. An up arrow for the gas drillers, pipe liners, etc. A down arrow for the rest of us collateral damagees.

  2. The problem is that career politicians are just that. Not public servants. If these elected positions paid less and had fewer perks, there’d be less feeding at the public trough.

  3. I swore I would never return to live in PA after the jerks in the lesgilature failed to pass a budget in the 1960’s. I served in the US Amry and my US Congress has been just as bad in their falilure to pass a budget (Newt v Clinton ’95 and since then). What is wriong in America is that, it pays well to be at the public trough and thus they all need fired. We need Americans representing ALL Americans. Most of the partisans in Congress and in Harrisburg never served in the military and thus they serve their own serve interests not American interests. As our President has said many times, “You’re fired”!!!!!!!

      1. Sounds like a trumpeter…phony.in his wars he probably slept on sheets in air conditioning in the rear with the gear. Make him a local vfw commander. He can talk the talk there.

    1. “Most of the partisans in Congress and in Harrisburg never served in the military and thus they serve their own serve interests not American interests.” And then he goes on to invoke the catchphrase of our President who never served in the military and serves his own interests, not American interests.

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