Good morning politicos, here’s the Buzz. PA Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin will be charged today for violations of campaign law. Jeremiah Wright makes a comeback. And Joe Biden makes a surprise visit to PA.

Don’t forget to check back later for the Ups & Downs!

PA Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin to be Charged Today: She’ll be charged with using taxpayer resources for campaigning, the same as her sister Senator Jane Orie who was convicted earlier this year.

PAGOP Says No Wright Attacks in 2012: A fair attack, or race-baiting? John McCain muzzled conservatives’ use of Jeremiah Wright, President Obama’s controversial former pastor, for fear that it would increase racial tensions. But in an era of super PACs and decentralized message control, Mitt Romney’s preference might not matter. The PAGOP, however, will follow Romney’s lead.

Dems Attack as GOP Passes Trimmed Down Violence Against Women Act: Pa’s Democratic candidates for the U.S. House accused Republican incumbents of waging war on women after the GOP-led House approved a version of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that removed certain provisions from the Senate’s version of the law.

NRCC Names Perry a Young Gun: In all likelihood State Rep. Scott Perry is 8 months away from being Congressman Scott Perry. But the GOP’s national congressional campaign arm isn’t taking chances; they added him to their candidate-boosting program Thursday.

Sen. Bob Casey Jr. Targets Facebook Co-Founder in New Bill: During the 2012 election cycle Democrats are positioning themselves as the “defenders of the middle class,” and Sen. Bob Casey Jr. is honing that message by attacking the top .001 percent of income earners, including Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin.

Biden Visits Washington, Pa: Vice President Joe Biden made an impromptu campaign stop,  unannounced, at Hogfather’s BBQ in Washington after visiting Ohio.

Legislative Election Updates

HD-104: Chris Deitz is the Democrat facing Rep. Sue Helm (R-Dauphin). From his campaign: “Chris Dietz has been endorsed by Progressive Majority, www.progressivemajority.org, joining a small group of only 20 candidates from across the United States. Chris is running to advocate for quality education, government reform, and to foster job creation in the 104th House District and across the Commonwealth.”

National
Washington Post: Pa. Leans Blue In The Electoral Map; Romney Needs A Blue Leaning State Like Pa. To Reduce His Margin For Error
Politico: When It Comes To Natural Gas, Obama Cannot Win
Politico: Obama Campaign: Crossroads Ad Campaign Running in Pa. Is ‘Dishonest’
NY Times: Postal Service To Close 48 Centers This Summer Including 11 In Pa.

Statewide
Capitol Ideas: Five Biggest Shale Interests Spent $1.3 Million During Impact Fee Debate, Records Show
Capitol Ideas – Ex-Gov. Ed Rendell: Don’t stall innovative transportation networks
State Impact: Pennsylvania doctors worry over fracking ‘Gag Rule’ (as part of Act 13)
State Impact: “Fracking’s methane trail: a detective story”
State Impact: Environmental protestors complete Philadelphia-to-Pittsburgh walk
State Impact: “In Ohio, ‘Fracking’ boom a delicate issue for Obama”
State Impact: More state land to be leased for drilling
Towanda Daily Review: Game Com­mis­sion is tak­ing bids to lease land in Tioga County to gas drillers
Bloomberg: Texas billionaire, nat­ural gas promoter T. Boone Pick­ens dumps Chesa­peake stocks, con­tin­ues to praise CEO Aubrey McClendon
PA Independent: Proposed budget cuts neuter internal watchdogs
PA Independent: Some 4.5 million residents file taxes electronically
PA Independent: PA school districts have tripled savings in 15 years
Capitolwire: Some won, lost in primary contribution gambits
Capitolwire: Senate will defend college restorations, distressed school funding in budget negotiations
Daily Times: Corbett to public school districts: Use reserves to avoid cuts
Wall Street Journal: School-Test Backlash Grows

Philadelphia
AP: Romney: Obama focused on ‘character assassination’
Philadelphia Weekly: Pennsylvania Legislators Fight United Nations Effort to Strip Parental Rights
WHYY Newsworks: Concentrated job-training program in Lancaster may be a model for all of PA
Philly Tribune: Sen. Casey introduces witness protection bill

Pittsburgh
Early Returns: Casey goes after Facebook co-founder
Capitol Ideas House Rez sponsored by Rep. Maher would make May “beef month” in PA

Opinions
Post-Gazette Op-ed: Some Catholics show their faith in Obama
Tribune Review Editorial: Pa.’s public pensions: Runaway gravy Train
Politico Op-Ed, Ed Rendell: Don’t Stall Innovative Transportation Networks
Adrian Shanker, Philly Gay News: Has Sen. Casey evolved?
Daily Times: Editorial: Corbett boxes himself in with no-tax stance

Blogs
Commonwealth Foundation: Chart: School District Fund Balances Nearly Tripled in 14 Years
Lehigh Valley Independent: Getting It Wrong: What Will the Jaindl Sprawl in Lower Mac Cost Taxpayers?
Lehigh Valley Independent: Why Pat Meehan Voted Against the House GOP’s Violence Against Women Act
Lu-Lac Political Letter: The LuLac Edition #2057, May 17th, 2012
The Pennsylvania Progressive: Eliminating the ‘99%’ Can Lead to a Better Message for Social Justice
The Pennsylvania Progressive: News and Notes May 17, 2012
Above Average Jane: No Candidate for America Elects
Above Average Jane: Two New PA Judges
Keystone Politics: Tell Tom Corbett That His Budget Sucks
Keystone Politics: Why are PA cities taxing car sharing at sin tax levels?
Keystone Politics: Lehigh Valley Biz Leaders Call on Corbett to Stop Dithering on Transpo Funding
Keystone Politics: Statement From CREDO SuperPAC’s “Women Against Fitzpatrick” Committee
Keystone Politics: Real Juvenile Justice Reform Must be Part of Corrections Reform
Keystone Politics: We Need a Progressive ALEC
Keystone Politics: Make Penn Pay up for Philly Schools
John Hanger: Stunning Fact: 247,000 Water and Sewer Main Breaks Discharge Billions of Gallons of Raw Sewage Each Year
John Hanger: $913 Million Construction Overrun Hits Georgia New Nukes : How Much Gas, Wind, Solar Capacity Would That Buy?
John Hanger: Massive Data Show Warming is Speeding up Flowering and Leafing
John Hanger: Pittsburgh Business Times Gives an Energy Leadership Award to Me
Lehigh Valley Ramblings: Lehigh County GOP Goes After Muslim Vote
Lehigh Valley Ramblings: How the Hell Can Dent Stand Congress?