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Top Story

1. Trump’s Hush Money Trial Verdict Could Come This Week. Here’s What Each Outcome Could Mean For Election

“Twelve jurors in New York City are poised to make history when they reveal the verdict in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president.

The decision could influence some voters in a close presidential race in key swing states like Pennsylvania with six months until the election.

Closing arguments in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial are slated for Tuesday with jury deliberations likely to start on Wednesday.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Related

President Biden Will Be Back In Philadelphia To Launch A Coalition To Shore Up Support With Black Voters. “Biden is slated to speak at Girard College, the historic boarding school in Fairmount on Wednesday.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Trump, Accustomed To Friendly Crowds, Confronts Repeated Booing During Libertarian Convention Speech. “Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing the Libertarian Party National Convention on Saturday night, with many in the crowd shouting insults and decrying him for things like his COVID-19 policies, running up towering federal deficits and lying about his political record.” (AP)

Libertarians Pick Chase Oliver As Presidential Nominee. “The Libertarian Party announced Sunday night that its delegates chose former Georgia Senate candidate Chase Oliver as its presidential nominee, after he saw off former President Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.” (Axios)

Ad Spending For 2024 Presidential Election Goes Mostly To Swing States — Especially PA. “Over $70 million has been spent on ads (TV, radio, satellite and digital) nationally, with a focus on seven states. More than $20 million has been spent in Pennsylvania.” (WHYY)

State

2. Will PA Suburban Women, Abortion Rights Determine The 2024 Election?

“In the middle of this wealthy Main Line suburb, near the winding private drives that lead to century-old mansions, stand the modern office buildings that distinguish the township as a life sciences and healthcare hub.

This Delaware County municipality of 34,000 people, thirty minutes west of Center City Philadelphia, is part of Democrats’ targeted base in Pennsylvania: prosperous, healthcare-economy-fueled suburbs from Philadelphia’s four collar counties to the Lehigh Valley and central Pennsylvania.

This year, as Democrats confront sobering polling that shows nostalgia for Trump’s presidency, they’re relying on reproductive rights as the motivating issue to deliver the winning voting margins, however narrow, for Biden in Pennsylvania.” (PennLive)

Related

She Beat The Party-Backed Candidate For PA Treasurer. Donations Are Starting To Roll In. “The biggest funder of Erin McClelland’s primary campaign for Pennsylvania treasurer was Erin McClelland herself. Ahead of the April 23 election, she loaned her campaign $100,000 while raising just $13,000 — none of which came from political committees. She won anyway, upsetting the well-funded, party-endorsed candidate.” (Spotlight PA)

Pennsylvania Issues $2 Million To Food Banks. “Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced Friday that more than $2 million will go to 57 groups for “fighting hunger and food insecurity and increasing access to healthy food for Pennsylvanians, wherever they live,” according to a press release.” (The Center Square)

Improving Economic Development In PA Continues To Face Hurdles. “Everyone – Republicans, Democrats, the private sector – agrees it’s crucial to the stature’s short-term and long-term success. But there is precious little agreement on how to make it happen.” (City & State)

Several States Have Increased Online Sports Betting Taxes; Will PA Legislators Follow Suit? “Could Pennsylvania lawmakers have an appetite for increasing revenue by spiking the taxation rate on the lucrative online sports wagering business?” (PennLive)

Around The Commonwealth

3. America’s Premier Pronatalists On Having ‘Tons Of Kids’ To Save The World and Running For PA House

“The Collinses didn’t tell me Simone was eight months pregnant when we were making plans for me to spend a Saturday with them at home in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, but I guess it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. They are the poster children of the pronatalist movement, on a mission to save humanity by having as many babies as possible.

They plan on having a minimum of seven children.This is not Quiverfull, the fundamentalist Christian belief that large families are a blessing from God. The Collinses are atheists; they believe in science and data, studies and research.

In what they hope will be the beginning of political careers for both of them, Simone is running for Pennsylvania state government as a Republican.” (The Guardian)

Related

Number Of Local Newspapers Closing In The U.S. Each Year Is Increasing. Local Lawmaker Trying To Slow That Down In PA With New Tax Credit. “An average of 2.5 newspapers closed each week in 2023 compared to two a week the year before, according to Northwestern University. State Rep. Josh Siegel is hoping two new bills might turn the tide, at least in Pennsylvania.” (WFMZ)

Action For Lights, Cameras: Leaders And Unions Push For Big Increase In State’s Film Production Tax Incentive As Budget Deadline Nears. “200 backers of increasing the incentive to $300 million rallied in Harrisburg on May 6, stressing that the measure is an economical boost and not a handout but a rebate for the film production companies working here and spending money in Pennsylvania. ” (Pittsburgh Union Progress)

Former PA State Rep. Frank W. Yandrisevits Dies. “He served as a state representative in the Pennsylvania Legislature from 1984 to 1990 and 1992 to 1994.” (CNHI News)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• Biden Needs To Learn From Shapiro: On Infrastructure, Results Matter Most. (Lindsay Lewis)
• For PA Cyber Charter Schools, There’s Little Accountability But Plenty Of Profit. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• PA Should Follow Other States In Providing Free Diapers Through Medicaid. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Yes, Young Voters Are A Problem For Biden. They’re The Trump Generation. (Brandon McGinley)
• Women Will Decide The 2024 Election. (Adriana E. Ramírez)
• Too Much Democracy Empowers The Few, Not The Many. (Kevin Frazier)
• Let’s Save Democracy … Again! (Roxanne Patel Shepelavy)
• Why The Alito Flag Flap Matters — Even If He Blames His Wife. (Peter Jensen)

1 Thing

5. The Top School Districts in PA

A pair of Allegheny County school districts top the latest rankings compiled by the Pittsburgh Business Times.

The overall state rankings saw a shift this year compared with last year’s ranking, with two Pittsburgh-area districts swapping places for the top two spots. Fox Chapel Area School District moved up to claim the No. 1 spot and in doing so displaced Upper St. Clair, which came in at No. 2.

Lower Merion and Radnor Township came in at Nos. 3 and 4, followed by Peters Township. (Philadelphia Business Journal $$)

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