🥳 Let’s Go. It’s Friday. Thanks for reading the PoliticsPA Playbook.
PA Weather
☁️ McKean | Mostly Cloudy, 74
🌤️ Scotland | Becoming Mostly Sunny, 77
☁️ Ardmore | Mostly Cloudy, 78
PA Sports
🏈 Penn State (6-1) | Sat vs. Indiana
🏈 Pitt (2-5) | Sat vs. Notre Dame
🏈 Eagles (6-1) | Sun vs. Washington
🏈 Steelers (4-2) | Sun vs. Jacksonville
⚽ Union | Sat. vs. New England (MLS Playoffs)
🏒 Flyers (4-2-1) | Minnesota 6-2 | Sat vs. Anaheim
🏒 Penguins (3-4-0) | Colorado 4-0 | Sat vs. Ottawa
🏀 Sixers (0-1) | Milwaukee 117-118 | Sat vs. Toronto
What We’re Hearing
“I think it is also important for central Pennsylvanians to know that Scott Perry was central to the planning of January 6th and central to the planning of the Justice Department officials to execute a plan that Donald Trump wanted.” – Cassidy Hutchinson
Start Your Day Smart
Subscribe to the PoliticsPA Playbook. It’s free and gives you all today’s PA political headlines in an easy-to-read format. All by 8 AM.
Top Story
1. Hutchinson Says Perry “Central” To Planning of January 6
“Former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson has certainly racked up experiences in her 27 years on the planet.
Famously, she testified to the January 6 Committee in the summer of 2022, revealing behind-the-curtain details on the fateful day from a White House observer’s viewpoint.
Now, she is sharing more on one Pennsylvanian’s actions during that day – Rep. Scott Perry – while promoting her new book, “Enough.” (PoliticsPA)
Related
GOP’s Pick Of Speaker Johnson Puts New Spotlight On Election Denialism. “The House GOP’s election of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), the architect of the conference’s legal strategy for challenging President Biden’s presidential win in 2020, is putting election denialism back to the center of the national conversation.” (The Hill)
Spending By Jeff Yass-Backed PAC Tops $4 Million In Pennsylvania Supreme Court Race. “With the Nov. 7 election less than two weeks away, Republican state Supreme Court candidate Carolyn Carluccio reported receiving more than $2.2 million in support for her campaign from a political action committee tied to Pennsylvania GOP mega-donor Jeff Yass.” (Penn Capital-Star)
U.S. Rep. Summer Lee Votes Against Pro-Israel Resolution On Hamas Attack. “Lee, who has condemned Hamas’ recent attack on Israel, said she voted against Wednesday’s Meeks-McCaul resolution because it fell short of acknowledging the war’s impact on innocent Palestinians, United Nations humanitarian aid workers, journalists and others.” (Tribune-Review)
Jill Biden Will Visit Philly On Friday To Announce A New Nickelodeon Show. “In honor of National Civics Day, the first lady and Nickelodeon will announce a new short-form television series to teach kids about civics.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)
State
2. PA Commonwealth Court Candidates Tout Experience, Squabble Over Billionaire’s Role In Campaign
“In an otherwise congenial exchange Thursday, the two candidates for Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court bickered over the role of a conservative billionaire in the campaign during a PennLive editorial board forum.
Republican lawyer Megan Martin of Cumberland County and Democratic Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge Matt Wolf are vying for the vacant seat on the nine-member Commonwealth Court, where Republicans now hold a 5-3 advantage.” (PennLive)
Related
The Tree of Life Synagogue Massacre Led To Little Action By The PA Legislature. “We pray that we are not guilty of inaction. We pray that we are not guilty of complacency,” Cheryl Klein, the rabbi who led one of three congregations at the Tree of Life synagogue, told the gathered legislators in April 2019. “We pray that we are not guilty of allowing ourselves to be paralyzed by politics.” (Spotlight PA)
Negrin Resigns As DEP Secretary; Shirley Assumes Interim Role. “Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Rich Negrin submitted his resignation on Thursday, taking a medical leave until it takes effect on December 9. Jessica Shirley will step in as interim acting secretary effective immediately.” (PoliticsPA)
New Pennsylvania Bill Would Crack Down On Harassment Against Sports Officials. “A new bill wants to crack down on harassment against sports officials. Lawmakers say coaches and referees sometimes face harassment from parents or other players and it needs to stop. If the bill becomes law it would create a separate offense for harassment against sports officials.” (abc27)
PA-07: Issa Joins GOP Primary Fray. “Allen Issa, a Penn State law student and former congressional aide, has become the latest addition to the pool of contenders in the 2024 Republican primary in hopes to unseat Democratic incumbent Rep. Susan Wild in the 7th Congressional District.” (PoliticsPA)
Around The Commonwealth
3. Pennsylvanians Are About to Decide Who Will Oversee the 2024 Elections
“Pennsylvania leaves county officials with a lot of discretion to decide how to run elections. They have tremendous leeway in particular when it comes to deciding the modalities of voting by mail. The state provides little binding guidance on whether a county needs to have a ballot drop box, let alone how many drop boxes to have or how accessible they should be. County officials also decide whether to notify voters whose ballot risks being rejected because of a minor mistake.
This has produced a disconcerting patchwork of policies. “You can have boards of elections that are 15 minutes apart and yet the rules are so different,” says Kadida Kenner, executive director of New PA Project, an organization that focuses on boosting voter registration and turnout.” (Bolts)
Related
Philadelphia Mayoral Candidates Talk Public Safety, Schooling, And Sixers Arena In Lone Debate. “Cherelle Parker and David Oh shared their visions for public safety, schooling, a proposed arena for the Philadelphia 76ers, and more during the hour-long debate, which aired on KYW Newsradio. ” (Penn Capital-Star)
Why Former Trump Campaign Lawyer Jenna Ellis’ ‘Crocodile Tears’ May Soon Land Her Back In A Philly Court Room. “A lawyer for a Delaware County election voting machine supervisor said attorney Jenna Ellis talked her way back into a slander lawsuit while pleading guilty in a Georgia case this week.” (Philadelphia Inquirer Clout)
In Pittsburgh Region, Criminal Justice Reformers Face Off Against Old Guard. “The upcoming elections for Allegheny County executive and DA could add to the progressive gains in local politics while GOP candidates are hoping to thwart reforms.” (Bolts)
Why Did John Weinstein Suddenly Step Down As President Of The Allegheny County Retirement Board? “The election is less than two weeks away, and no matter what happens here in Allegheny County, one thing is certain: A generation of longtime officeholders like County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and City Controller Michael Lamb will be retiring from the scene. Critics won’t even have County Treasurer John Weinstein to kick around any more. Or will they?” (WESA Politics)
EMILYs List Endorses Cherelle Parker For Philly Mayor. “EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, endorsed Cherelle Parker for mayor of Philadelphia in an early-morning announcement.” (PoliticsPA)
Lackawanna County Commissioners Debate- Things You Should Know. “The responses by Republicans Chris Chermak and Diana Campbell and Democrats Matt McGloin and Bill Gaughan never bothered venturing into attacks on opponents while answering moderator Jean W. Harris’ questions, unlike a few past local debates.” (Scranton Times-Tribune)
Editorial
4. What They’re Saying
- Five Years Later, A Call To Remembrance, And To Hope. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
- The Tree of Life Rabbi Explains Why He Hopes In God And Man. (Jeffrey Myers)
- Connecting The Dots. (Heather Cox Richardson)
- We Finally Got That Showdown Between Cherelle Parker And David Oh. And, Well, It Lacked Some Bite. (Helen Ubiñas)
- Trump’s Looming Dictatorship Is The Only Real Winner In House Speaker Debacle. (Will Bunch)
- Policemen Should Have a College Degree. (Terrence Alladin)
- Unions Are Hurting Taxpayers And Pennsylvania’s Economy. (David Osborne)
- RGGI Is About Climate Change. It’s Also About Environmental Justice. (Joseph Otis Minott)
- Crime Takes Center Stage in DelVal County Elections. (Linda Stein)
1 Thing
5. In A Rarity, Emperor Penguin Chick Hatches At Sea World San Diego
“SeaWorld San Diego has welcomed the hatching of an emperor penguin for the first time in 13 years, announcing on Wednesday that the female chick came out of its shell with help from zoo staff on Sept. 12.
“This is the most exciting thing we’ll do all year, potentially all decade,” said Justin Brackett, SeaWorld’s birds curator, in a video provided by the park.
Listed as a threatened species, the emperor penguin is native to Antarctica and 17 of them live in a 25 degree Fahrenheit (minus 5 Celsius) habitat at the marine theme park and zoo where the egg was laid on July 7, SeaWorld said.” (Reuters)
Thanks for starting your weekend with us.
Please invite your friends
to subscribe to the PoliticsPA Playbook
4 Responses
My nephew Steve Zappala JUNIOR is going to get a sevier ass whopping next week because he is too dumb drunk. and arrogant to campaign on real issues. Even Republicans are ignoring him because he is a LOSER. Too bad the Godfather isn’t around anymore to give him another good punch in the face.
Broken news
The Post gazzzete endorsed Zappala for District Attorney.
No surprise there. The Blockheads have been complicit in mafia affairs for the last 59 years. Their editorial board makes decisions out of one pocket…his own.
The Trib has astonishingly become the HONEST newspaper in town. No wonder the P.G. workers are still on strike.
Scott Perry is a criminal insurrectionist, according to Cassidy Hutchinson.
Emperor Penguin chicks are as rare as a sane, honest Republican.