Who could have predicted that the fate of President Obama, congressional Democrats, and the health care reform bill lay in the hands of Mike “The Dealmaker” Doyle?! Yes, we just made that nickname up, but according to this Politico report, it’s well-deserved. As Democrats scrambled for votes over the weekend, Doyle was instrumental in brokering an agreement between Democratic leaders and pro-life Democrats, led by Michigan Rep. Bart Stupak, to secure the necessary votes.
State Senator and long-shot gubernatorial candidate Anthony Williams (D) received endorsements from local state Rep. Dwight Evans (D) and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter (D) on Thursday, solidifying his support from pols in Pennsylvania’s biggest city. That came just a day after his threats on Wednesday to cut Attorney General (and GOP gubernatorial candidate) Tom Corbett’s funding based on the AG’s support for a lawsuit that seeks to overturn the newly signed federal health care bill. Sure, he’s still a long-shot for Rendell’s job, but he put himself in the spotlight this week – something all the candidates still need to do.
Speaking of the Attorney General, Tom Corbett was one of a dozen AGs nationwide to publicly support a lawsuit to overturn the federal health care reform bill - a suit likely headed nowhere. The move was seen as pure political grandstanding by many, and some Democrats privately called it a clear misstep from gubernatorial front-runner. That said, Corbett did receive good news this week when former House leader Mike Veon was convicted of 14 of the charges facing him. The trial was a win for Corbett’s political fortunes in the first major case stemming from his “Bonusgate” investigation.
Crazy people are running wild in Pennsylvania. Whether it’s flash mobs in Philly or death threats sent to Rep. Dahlkemper in Erie, everybody loses when this goes on.
Tracie Mauriello of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has been dominating the Pennsylvania Twitter-sphere throughout the “Bonusgate” trials, gaining scores of new followers, including fellow journalists and elected officials. Heck, even Corbett said he followed Twitter for updates on his own case. When the Veon verdict unexpectedly arrived Monday night, many Pennsylvania politicos tuned into Twitter, not TV, for the latest results, a signal of how important the social-media service has become to many in the last year.
Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-8) received some great news from his friends in Pa. congressional caucus yesterday when he received their support to fill the late Rep. John Murtha’s seat on the influential House Appropriations Committee. Though the House Democratic Steering Committee will make the final decision to fill the seat, the Keystone state’s nominee may have the inside track.
Tags: Anthony Williams, Bart Stupak, Dwight Evans, health care, Kathy Dahlkemper, Michael Nutter, Mike Doyle, Patrick Murphy, Tom Corbett, Tom Corbett health care lawsuit
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The legal challenge to ObamaCare isn’t “likely headed nowhere.”
Where is it stated in the Constitution that an individual must purchase a private product?
And the states’ rights issues permeate both the Florida and Virginia filings.