June 29: Picking Up Voters

GOP Gains in Voter Registrations. Nonpartisan Group Urges Veto to Poll Watcher Bill. Cook Moves PA-12 From Solid to Likely. Here is the Playbook.

 

PA Weather
Erie | Partly Sunny, Slight Chance of Thunderstorms, 73
State College | Sunny, 83
Allentown | Sunny, 86

 

PA Sports
Phillies (39-36, 8.0 GB) | lost vs. Atlanta, 5-3; WED-THU vs. Atlanta
Pirates (29-45, 13.0 GB) | lost vs. Washington, 3-1; WED vs. Washington

 

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News

GOP Up, Dems Down in Registration Numbers: Republicans have picked up over 32,000 new registered voters since the start of the year.

Pitt Funding Held Up in House: The University of Pittsburgh’s annual appropriation from state lawmakers in currently on hold in the Pennsylvania State House.

Nonpartisan Group Urges Veto to Poll Watcher Bill: A nonpartisan election reform group has come out against a bill passed by both the state House and Senate that would allow poll workers to serve anywhere in the Commonwealth.

Cook Political Report Moves PA-12 to Likely Democrat: The Cook Political Report moved the PA-12 congressional race from Solid D to Likely D on Tuesday.

 

PA Senate Race: ‘PA Senate Race: Fetterman returning to campaign trail after stroke’: ABC27 reports that “Fetterman, who currently serves as the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, will join the Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania for a reception in Wynnewood, Montgomery County on July 21. Tickets for the private event range from $100-$2,900.”

 

‘Talks yield no Pennsylvania budget deal, with 3 days left’: The Associated Press reports that “Pennsylvania’s state House of Representatives and Senate returned to the Capitol on Tuesday, as leaders of the Republican-controlled chambers worked to get an agreement on a roughly $42 billion budget plan with Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf before the state loses some of its spending authority in three days.”

‘Fight over 2020 election records lands in Pennsylvania court’: The Associated Press reports that “a county judge in Williamsport has to decide whether to force officials to provide voter-by-voter electronic election records after the state Office of Open Records ruled Pennsylvania law makes them confidential.” 

‘State House Appropriations Committee chair: Budget unlikely to be done by June 30 deadline’: City & State PA reports that “House Appropriations Committee Chair Stan Saylor, a Republican from York County, told reporters that he doesn’t see a final budget getting to the governor’s desk by Thursday. “I don’t see it getting done,” Saylor said. “I’m hoping we’re gonna have it done in the next week.””

‘The clock is ticking for lawmakers, Wolf to agree on 2022-23 budget. What to know so far’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “lawmakers have until midnight on Thursday to pass a spending plan that allocates billions of dollars to fund education, economic growth, community development, and human services.”

‘How a bill becomes a brawl: The fight over the changes needed to the legislative process’: City & State PA “takes an inside look at how Harrisburg pols want to rework the way laws are enacted in Pennsylvania.”

‘Gov. Wolf will not sign law loosening restriction on poll watchers’: PennLive reports that “Senate and House pass law loosening restriction on poll watchers, but Wolf says no.”

‘Wolf reminds lawmakers abortion restrictions could lead to companies leaving Pa.’: PennLive reports that “Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf cautioned lawmakers about potential consequences of advancing legislation that would seek to change Pennsylvania’s abortion law in a radio interview with KDKA.”

‘House GOP tanks background checks bill, advances resolution to investigate Philly DA Krasner’: PennLive reports that “in what has become a weekly event, the conservative majority of the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday side-stepped Democrats’ attempt to push through a universal gun background check bill by gutting the bill’s text and replacing it with the GOP’s permit-less concealed carry proposal.”

‘Pa. House Republicans trying to impeach DA Larry Krasner are likely to pass a resolution to investigate his office’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “the Pennsylvania House is expected to vote Wednesday on whether to form a committee to probe Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office in search of impeachable offenses.”

‘Bill shines more light on Penn State, Pitt, Temple, Lincoln universities’ salaries, financial records’: PennLive reports that “a proposal to raise transparency between the four state-related universities and Pennsylvania residents advanced in the state Senate on Tuesday.”

‘Ex-White House aide: Rep. Scott Perry was in on talks about Donald Trump going to Capitol on Jan. 6’: PennLive reports that “Rep. Scott Perry, R-York County, was involved in discussions with senior White House staff about a plan for former President Donald J. Trump to accompany his supporters to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, a former aide to Trump’s Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told the House Committee investigating the attacks on the Capitol.

‘In Pittsburgh visit, energy secretary touts economic benefits of combating climate change’: WESA reports that “U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm was in the Pittsburgh area Tuesday to tout jobs in the growing clean energy sector. She visited BCI Steel, which recently reopened a former Bethlehem Steel plant in Leetsdale.”

‘Pitt funding, state budget all on hold as Pa.’s budget deadline looms’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “Allegheny County’s Democratic members of the state Legislature urged their House Republican colleagues Tuesday to “pull back” on their threat to the University of Pittsburgh’s funding, as the issue remains one of the disagreements jeopardizing a budget deal between Gov. Tom Wolf and GOP leaders.”

‘Where did Pennsylvania’s $63 billion in COVID-19 relief money go?’: The Allentown Morning Call reports that “the Wolf administration’s budget office recently published information about how the state spent more than $63 billion in COVID-19 relief money over the last two years. That’s about $4,861 for every person living in the state. The original data can be found on the state’s Open Data portal.”

‘Bill removes risk of wrongful DUI arrest for medical cannabis patients’: PennLive reports that “legislation that would protect Pennsylvania’s more than 700,000 medical marijuana patients from wrongful driving under the influence convictions advanced out of the Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday by a 13-0 vote.”

‘Pennsylvania senators to introduce bill to codify abortion access into law’: WFMZ reports that “several Democratic lawmakers in Pennsylvania want to codify the right to abortion into law.”

‘Welfare reform on the table to prevent SNAP benefits from going to dead recipients’: The Center Square reports that “proposed Pennsylvania legislation would require more state agency cooperation to ensure that welfare payments aren’t sent out after a recipient dies.”

‘Bill enhances fire safety in family child care homes by requiring interconnected smoke detectors’: PennLive reports that “on Tuesday, Laughlin’s House-amended bill addressing this issue passed the Senate on a 49-0 vote and was sent to Gov. Tom Wolf for enactment.”

‘Advocacy group calls for guardianship reform in PA’: WTAJ reports that “PA ADAPT, an organization advocating for disability rights, is asking for a review of what they call “Pennsylvania’s broken guardianship system.””

‘Long-term solutions: Keller calls for improved energy policies’: The Williamsport Sun-Gazette reports that “a federal lawmaker believes better policies are needed to move the energy industry and the nation forward. U.S. Rep. Fred Keller, R-Kreamer, talked to industry and government officials during a lunch roundtable Monday at Pennsylvania College of Technology.”

 

Regional Spotlight: Southwest
City Paper: If Summer Lee goes to D.C., who will succeed her in Harrisburg?
WESA: City Council to consider bills that support reproductive rights after Roe is overturned
WESA: Pennsylvania Republican legislators attach strings to Pitt tuition aid
Post-Gazette: Shale well impact fees rise as natural gas prices surge
Post-Gazette: Allegheny County Council moves closer to forming independent police review board 
KDKA: Pittsburgh City Controller Michael Lamb to present 2021 financial report
KDKA: In Pittsburgh to promote green energy, Secretary Granholm says Biden administration is on top of gasoline crisis
KDKA: Mayor Gainey calls on Harrisburg for stronger gun legislation
City Paper: Gainey finally holds inaugural celebration after long COVID-19 postponement
Tribune Review: Energy Secretary Granholm talks Western Pa.’s clean energy future during visit
Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh denies COVID-19 vaccine exemptions to some police officers
Post-Gazette: In Pittsburgh, a mix of dismay and celebration as pro- and anti-abortion groups react to Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling
Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh seeking to revive disruptive properties program in effort to lower crime 
Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh City Council approves extension of police training facility lease with CCAC
Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Catholics say Supreme Court’s abortion decision marks a day of ‘great happiness’
Post-Gazette: City controller audit finds Pittsburgh is owed money for secondary service of police officers
Post-Gazette: How Steel City Cubans see President Biden’s strategy for relations between Washington, Havana
WESA: Abortion-rights advocates say voting is key to preserving abortion access in Pennsylvania
WESA: Pittsburgh anti-abortion groups plan to expand and take extra precautions after Supreme Court ruling
WESA: Leon Ford, Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert launch foundation to address gun violence
WESA: Dick’s, Duolingo join major national companies in covering abortion-related travel costs for employees
KDKA: City of Pittsburgh denies request for Fern Hollow Bridge inspection history documents
KDKA: Experts disagree on how SCOTUS gun law ruling will impact Pa.
KDKA: Pittsburgh Regional Transit to use federal grant to study cable car transit
KDKA: County council votes to remove residency requirement for dispatchers
KDKA: Schubert reflects on balancing support for officers with calls for reform
City Paper: Pittsburgh responds to overturn of Roe v. Wade
City Paper: Pittsburghers rally against U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling
City Paper: Abolitionist Law Center seeks more volunteer court-watchers
City Paper: Union protests corporate obstructions at Bloomfield Starbucks
City Paper: John Fetterman’s secret weapon to connecting with folks online: his wife, Gisele 😍😉
Tribune Review: Pine resident named Allegheny County Bar Association president
Tribune Review: Dick’s Sporting Goods to reimburse travel expenses for employees seeking abortions
Tribune Review: Giant Eagle to pay employee out-of-state travel costs for abortions
Tribune Review: Penn Hills councilman Jim Getsy resigns
Pittsburgh Business Times: Duolingo CEO says the company will look elsewhere for growth if state rescinds abortion rights 
Pittsburgh Business Times: Pittsburgh Regional Transit board approves $519M budget for new fiscal year
Pittsburgh Business Times: New president and officers at Allegheny County Bar Association 
Pittsburgh Business Times: Pitt elects new board chair
Pittsburgh Business Times: United Steelworkers blasts U.S. Steel’s plan at Granite City Works
The Incline: 🏛 What’s next for abortion in Pittsburgh?
WTAJ: Somerset County Treasurer’s office scammed out of $11k, police report
Beaver County Times: ‘Angry and scared:’ Western Pa. reacts to Roe v. Wade decision
Beaver County Times: County allocates ARPA funding to small businesses/non-profits
Observer-Reporter: Area lawmakers, church figures react to decision
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Deal in place for second daily Amtrak trip through Johnstown; more than $20 million in rail upgrades planned locally
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Acting state education secretary touts ‘opportunities’ in tour of Penn Highlands campus
Altoona Mirror: Local leaders: Ruling will be issue in election

 

Opinion  
Ryan Costello: Irresponsible Liquor Companies Disregard American Communities
Joseph J. Roy and John D. Stanford: ​​Pa. needs permanent fix for school underfunding
Paul Muschick: Pennsylvania women: Vote this fall as if your life depends on it – because it does
David Callahan: Pennsylvanians are reaping millions of dollars in benefits from taxing natural gas
Ricardo Almodovar: Voting rights are key to advancing LGBTQ+ equality
Marci Lesko: Without state help, Pennsylvania faces a child care crisis
John L. Micek: Pa., Norfolk Southern get a deal to expand W.Pa rail access | Tuesday Morning Coffee
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: The Republicans who said no to Trump and paid for it
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Nursing home crisis demands state action
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: High voter turnout is a symptom of polarization, not a cure
Wesley R. Payne IV: To engage the ‘will of the voters,’ you also have to empower them
Michael Coard: The U.S. has a long and shameful history of treating women like property

2 Responses

  1. Dung Mastriano is a seditious slug who should be barred from elective office as unfit.

  2. Poll watcher bill equals voter intimidation and suppression. Big shots with suits show up waving papers bullying elderly and low income with one goal only VOTER SUPPRESSION!

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