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What We’re Hearing
“The fact that neither party had enough votes to elect a speaker and one member had wanted to become an independent and take on that role and work with both parties was our only path forward.” – Doyle Heffley

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Top Story

1. Shapiro Tabs Schmidt To Lead Department Of State

“Governor-elect Josh Shapiro made his first Cabinet appointment on Thursday morning, tapping former Philadelphia City Commissioner Al Schmidt to lead the Department of State.

A Republican, Schmidt was center stage in the 2020 election as vice chair of Philadelphia’s Board of Elections. He was attacked by name by former President Donald Trump and testified at a Jan. 6 committee hearing in June, where he said Trump’s tweet led to threats of violence directed toward him and his family.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

Republican Who Rebuffed Trump Is Democrat’s Pick For PA Election Post. “Pennsylvania’s incoming Democratic governor, Josh Shapiro, will nominate a Philadelphia Republican who resisted Donald J. Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results to serve as the state’s chief election official, Mr. Shapiro said Thursday.” (New York Times)

Al Schmidt, A Republican Former Philly Elections Official, Named As Josh Shapiro’s Secretary Of State. “Shapiro described the decision as making good on a campaign promise to appoint a “pro-democracy Secretary of the Commonwealth;” he had also promised to work across the aisle.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

• One-on-One With PA Secretary Of The Commonwealth Nominee Al Schmidt. (NBC Philadelphia)
• 10 Things To Know About Al Schmidt. (Billy Penn)

What Should Josh Shapiro Do? “There’s a reason one boldface named Philly powerbroker dubbed Josh Shapiro “the Jewish JFK” some 20 years ago. The new governor is a man of once-in-a-generation political skill, combining Obama-like oratory chops with stellar backroom deal moves. Just how Shapiro’s been able to clear primary fields and damn near pick his general election opponents remains a Penn & Teller-like trick.” (Philadelphia Citizen)

Harrisburg

2. The PA House Speaker Election Is Upending Harrisburg. ‘All Hell Broke Loose’

“No one walked onto the House floor Tuesday expecting Berks County Democrat Mark Rozzi to become the next speaker of the House. Not even Rozzi. Tuesday’s speaker election was full of surprises — even by Harrisburg standards.

Now, Republican leadership swears that Rozzi will leave the Democratic Party and become not affiliated as part of his agreement with them. Democrats say Rozzi won’t caucus with them but he’s still going to remain a Democrat. Rozzi promised them as much in a closed-door meeting, according to at least four Democratic representatives who were in the meeting.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Related

What Mark Rozzi’s Record Can Tell Us About What Kind Of PA House Speaker He’ll Be. “In the Pennsylvania Capitol, no other issue defines the legislative career of newly minted state House Speaker Mark Rozzi more than helping survivors of decades-old sexual abuse.” (Spotlight PA)

• Interview With GOP State Rep. Rob Kauffman. (WEEO-FM Radio) 

Carbon County Republican Heffley Votes For Democratic Speaker, Says There’s Work To Be Done. “As one of 16 Republicans who voted for Democrat Mark Rozzi as Pennsylvania’s Speaker of the House, Doyle Heffley called it “our only path forward.”” (Standard-Speaker)

As Some Float Bipartisan Pick For Speaker, Ohio And PA Actually Do It. “For about as long as Kevin McCarthy’s ascent to House speaker has been in doubt, he and his allies have invoked a nightmare scenario for the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus: If they thwart him, a handful of Republicans could join with Democrats to pick a moderate GOP speaker.” (Washington Post)

Proposed Amendments To PA Constitution Need Action Soon To Reach May Primary Ballots. “Lawmakers will have to act before February’s end if they intend to get any proposed constitutional amendments onto the May 16 primary election ballot.” (New Castle News)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Senator Bob Casey Announces He Has Prostate Cancer

“In the coming months I will undergo surgery, after which I am expected to make a full recovery. I am confident that my recommended course of treatment will allow me to continue my service in the 118th Congress with minimal disruption.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

Senator Bob Casey, A PA Democrat, Says He Has Prostate Cancer. “Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, who is part of Democrats’ razor-thin edge in the chamber and represents a swing state that has played an outsize role in the past two presidential elections, said on Thursday that he had prostate cancer but expected to make a full recovery.” (New York Times)

• PA Senator Casey Has Cancer That Is Highly Curable, Yet Subject Of Debate Over Benefits Of Screening. (PennLive)
• After Sen. Casey’s Prostate Cancer Diagnosis, A Lehigh Valley Doctor Weighs In On Prognosis. (LehighValleyNews.com)

Scanlon Worries Speaker Vote Is Harbinger Of Things To Come In Congress. “While waiting to take her 10th vote on the next Speaker of the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-5th) took a few moments to talk about the historic roadblock to a new leader of Congress.” (DelcoTimes)

• “It Should Have Been Ironed Out Before We Got Here.” (Morning Call)

Enablers, Line-Straddlers And Quiet Resisters: How GOP Lawmakers Contributed To Jan. 6. “A handful of Republicans who remained in the Jan. 6 committee’s sights throughout its investigation are now leading the effort to deny Kevin McCarthy the speakership — using their power to bring the House to a standstill.” (POLITICO)

• PA Ranks Third In Number Of Jan. 6 Arrests. (Charlotte Observer)

Fetterman Adds To Staff. “Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has added Krysta Juris as deputy chief of staff, Joe Calvello as comms director, Maya Ashwal as administrative director and Kathi Caber as constituent services director.” (POLITICO)

Pittsburgh Democrats Balance Need For Press With Solidarity For Post-Gazette Journalists. “This year, though, coverage of local races is being altered by the fact that some Democrats are wary of speaking to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The paper’s ownership, Block Communications, is locked in a bitter labor dispute with striking workers.” (WESA)

Khari Mosley Launches Primary Challenge Against Burgess For Pittsburgh City Council’s 9th District. “Five seats on Pittsburgh City Council will be up for grabs this year, and the city’s 9th Council District has at least one primary challenger to incumbent Ricky Burgess. Khari Mosley, a mainstay in Pittsburgh’s Democratic circles, launched his official bid for the seat Thursday before a packed crowd of supporters at Blue Sky Kitchen and Bar in East Liberty.” (WESA)

Bedford County’s DA Won’t Seek Another Term. “Bedford County’s top prosecutor is stepping down from the post at the end of the year.” (Tribune-Democrat)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

A glance around the Keystone State at editorials and opinions.

• Mayor Nutter 3.0? No Thanks. (Helen Ubinas, Philadelphia Inquirer)
• It’s A ‘Childish Fantasy’ To Ignore What Happened Jan. 6, 2021. (Lawrence Blum, Philadelphia Inquirer)
• The ‘Spoiler Caucus’ Is Creating Chaos. (David Winston, The Hill)
• Elections Nomination Sets Tone. (Times-Tribune)
• 3 Suggestions For The New Speaker Of The PA House. (Paul Muschick, Morning Call)

1 Thing

5. I Can’t Believe It’s All Butter

Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding unveiled the 2023 Pennsylvania Farm Show butter sculpture. Carved from 1,000 pounds of butter, it highlights this year’s theme: Rooted in Progress.

The sculpture, a longtime PA Farm Show staple that celebrates Pennsylvania’s 5,200 dairy farmers, highlights the strong roots Pennsylvania agriculture has today thanks to a vision rooted in progress and eight years of targeted support and investments for the industry.

Sponsored by American Dairy Association North East (ADANE), the sculpture depicts several generations of a dairy farming family, enjoying a moment together amid the backdrop of their family farm, celebrating how they work together to produce wholesome food for their community in a sustainable way.

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