McCord pleads guilty, Joe Biden speaks to House Dems in Philadelphia and the GOP hold their annual winter meeting. Plus, last week’s Ups & Downs! Good morning politicos, here’s the Buzz!

1/30 Ups & Downs: Resignations, investigations and subpoenas. See who made this week’s list!

BREAKING: McCord Pleads Guilty: The State Treasurer threatened potential contributors that a failure to give to his campaign would hurt their businesses.

VP Biden Speaks to House Democratic Caucus: Joe Biden came to Philly to speak at the House Democratic Caucus.

Dispatches from the GOP Winter Meeting: A rundown of the events of the PA GOP’s winter meeting.

Rick Perry Keynotes GOP Lincoln Day Dinner: The event also featured Senator Pat Toomey and recently departed Governor Tom Corbett.

Breakdown of PA Delegation Vote on Keystone XL Pipeline: Both Pennsylvania Senators and 15 Congressmen voted in favor of the pipeline.

Pennsylvanians Love Punxsutawney Phil, Despite Weak Forecasting Skills: PPP also tracks how PA feels about Paterno and the eternal contest between the Eagles and the Steelers.

Statewide
State House Sound Bites: McCord to plead guilty to charges from campaign donor shakedowns
PA Independent: Audit: Pennsylvania fire chiefs stole $20,000, other spending unexplained
StateImpactPA: Gas industry hopes to score points with Super Bowl ads
StateImpactPA: Survey: Majority of scientists oppose expanded use of fracking
PLSReporter: Sen. Gordner wants more legislative oversight of regulations
PLSReporter: Treasurer McCord to resign immediately, plead guilty to federal charges
PLSReporter: Pileggi says seniority, tradition not respected in committee chairmanship appointments
Capitolwire: GOP endorses George, Olson and Covey for Supreme Court
Capitolwire: McCord to plead guilty to federal charges

Philadelphia
Inquirer: Biden: Don’t Let GOP ‘Steal’ Credit for Recovery
Inquirer: Phila. Mayoral Candidates Have One Thing in Common: Advanced Age
Inquirer: McCord Steps Down, Signals He Will Plead Guilty
Inquirer: Wolf to Fill Supreme Court Vacancies, Urges Passage of Non-Discrimination Bill
Daily News: Lisa Deeley: ‘I Want to Return Harmony to the Commissioners’ Office’
Daily News: Nutter Is Gracious in Final Speech to Chamber of Commerce
Daily News: Jim Kenney Takes His Shot
Daily News: Can McNesby Ride a Blue Wave to Victory?
WHYY Newsworks: Philadelphia Is Changing How It Sets Water Rates
WHYY Newsworks: GOP Endorses Olson, Covey and George for Pa. High Court
WHYY Newsworks: Pa. Lawmakers Try Again for Per-Diem Reform
WHYY Newsworks: Pa. Treasurer McCord to Plead Guilty to Campaign Donor Shakedowns
WHYY Newsworks: Most Americans Agree with Tom Wolf on Legal Medical Marijuana
WHYY Newsworks: In Philadelphia, President Vows to Fight to Protect Obamacare with a Veto

SEPA
Pottstown Mercury: State Rep. Toepel Schedules Open House at Gilbertsville District Office
Pottstown Mercury: Montgomery County Democrats List Row Office Candidates for Endorsement
Pottstown Mercury: Pottstown Officials Gearing Up for Fair School Funding Fight
Pottstown Mercury: Owen J. Roberts School District Moves Ahead with Elementary Building Plans
Pottstown Mercury: Third GOP Candidate Announces Bid for Montco Commissioner
Bucks Courier-Times: Communications Forum Set for Monday Night in Lower Makefield
Bucks Courier-Times: Seminar Helps Candidates Get Campaigns Off the Ground
Bucks Courier-Times: Pa. Lawmakers Push 3.5 Percent Marcellus Shale Tax
Delco Daily Times: Former Chester Mayor Leads 2015 Republican Slate
Delco Daily Times: Details Reviewed for Delco Tech School Expansion Plans
Bucks Local News: Chairman Gallagher Reports that Newtown Moving Forward with ‘Renewed Vitality’
Daily Local News: Read the Full CASD Grand Jury Report Online

Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette: Former PA. Treasurer to Plead Guilty to Federal Charges
Post-Gazette: Liquor Control Board Joins Gov. Wolf in Banning Gifts to Employees
Post-Gazette: Lawmaker Proposes Naming I-84 Exit After Slain State Trooper
Post-Gazette: In Philadelphia, Biden Urges Dems to Take Credit for Stimulus, Recovery
Post-Gazette: Gov. Wolf Bans New Leases for Drilling on State Lands
Post-Gazette: McCord Admits to Strong-Arming Donors, Resigns Immediately
Tribune-Review: Florida Campaign Case Before Supreme Court May Reverberate in Pennsylvania Judicial Race
Tribune-Review: Voters Opt for ‘Don’t Know’ in 2016 Presidential Race, Poll Finds
Tribune-Review: Nation Sick of Perry Tells State Republicans
Tribune-Review: Romney Opts Out of 2016 Presidential Race, Giving Jeb Bush Boost

Southwest
Beaver County Times: Special Public Defender’s Bank Account Lacks Oversight
Beaver County Times: Political Newcomer Announces Campaign for Beaver County Commissioner
Beaver County Times: With Chief Public Defender MIA, Many Wonder, Where is He, What Does He Do?
Altoona Mirror: Amendments Seeks to Cure Confusion, But Brings More
Altoona Mirror: McCord to Plead Guilty in Campaign Finance Case
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Obama Proposing $478 Billion Public Works Plan in Budget

NEPA
Reading Eagle: Homeowners Along Gas Pipeline Hold Out for Better Offers
Reading Eagle: Former Reading Mayor Who Was Booster for RACC Was Recalled During Service
Morning Call: Politics as Usual
Morning Call: Feds: Worker Bilked Comcast Out of $125K in Retirement Accounts Scheme
Morning Call: Biden: Don’t Let the GOP ‘Steal’ Credit for Recovery
Morning Call: Pennsylvania Court Delays by 1 Day Hearing on Open Records Officer
Morning Call: Pat Toomey Gains Seat at Obamacare Carving Table

South Central
Sentinel: Sen. Eichelberger to Offer Service Hours in Newville
YDR: House Democrats’ Message on the Economy: We Told You So
Patriot News: Campaign Donors’ Stories Show Two Sides to Former Pennsylvania Treasurer Rob McCord’s Fundraising
Patriot News: PA Liquor Control Board, Following Gov. Tom Wolf, Enacts Gift Ban for Employees
Patriot News: PA Supreme Court: GOP Endorses Covey, George, and Olson
Patriot News: Supreme Court Field May Narrow After Saturday’s GOP Endorsements
Patriot News: Ousted Pennsylvania Treasurer Rob McCord was a Serious Fundraiser, the Record Shows
Intelligencer: Commissioner Martin: ‘Beyond Ridiculous’ to Suggest Favoritism in Decision not to Charge Sister

Lehigh Valley
Morning Call: Politics as Usual
Morning Call: Allentown School would Tap into Allentown Students’ Passions
Morning Call: Lawmakers Eye Tax Breaks to Boost Number of Fire/EMS Volunteers
Morning Call: Biden: Don’t Let GOP ‘Steal’ Credit for Recovery
Reading Eagle: Disappointment in Pipeline Proposals
Reading Eagle: Former City Mayor Recalled During Service
Express Times: ‘I Hope They Arrest Me,’ says Lawmaker who has Bought into Super Bowl Pools
Express Times: Northampton County Executive Brushes off Consultant Criticism, Willing to Bring More
Express Times: Allentown Properties could be Targeted as School District Tries Shifting Tax Burden

North by Northwest
Sun Gazette: Levee Inspection to Cost $1 Million
Sun Gazette: Congressman: Pass 12 Year Limit on Serving as Lawmakers
Sun Gazette: Taxpayer Money may be Needed to Complete Project
Erie Times-News: Arrington to Officially Announce City Council Candidacy Monday
Erie Times News: Early Erie School District Budget Shows $7.4 Million Gap

Opinion
Washington Post: Chris Matthews: The 2016 Democratic National Convention belongs in Philadelphia
Philly.com: Investment in Schools Is an Investment in the City
Inquirer: School Spirited
Inquirer: Breaking Records
Daily News: Choking on Charters
Daily News: A Better Way for Schools? An Elected School Board Might Not Improve on SRC, but Taxing Power Would
Pottstown Mercury: Pa. Lawmakers Should Enact Gift Ban, Drop ‘Per Diems’
Pottstown Mercury: Good Call by Wolf to Keep Pa. Corrections Secretary
Pottstown Mercury: Tax-Exempt Expansion Could Cause Problems for Pa. Towns
Bucks Courier-Times: Sensible Solution to Sub Shortage
Sentinel: Time is Long Past to End LGBT Bias
YDR: Give us the Gift of Integrity, Lawmakers
Tribune: Push Back on Testing
Post-Gazette: Avoiding Taxes: A Fast-Tracked Scheme Will Help Non-Profits
Reading Eagle: Letter: Term Limits are up to the Electorate

Blogs
Citified: Should the School District Declare Bankruptcy?
Citified: Jim Kenney To Make It Official Thursday
Keystone Crossroads: Pennsylvania lawmakers hope to restrict corporate incentives from the state
Commonwealth Foundation: Breaking Out of the Fortress & Into the Frontier
Commonwealth Foundation: Audio: Wolf’s Campaign Rhetoric Means Governing Reality
Lehigh Valley Ramblings: GOP State Committee Endorses Giordano For Superior Court