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January 30: Setting Election Policy

Good Morning. Welcome to the new week!
Oh, and E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!

PA Weather
Edinboro | Snow likely, 29
Lock Haven | Cloudy, chance of showers, 45
Millersville | Mostly cloudy, 54

PA Sports
Eagles | San Francisco, W 31-7 | Super Bowl vs. Kansas City
76ers (32-16) | Denver, W 126-119 | MON vs. Orlando
Flyers (21-21-9) | Winnipeg, W 4-0 | MON vs. NY Islanders
Penguins (24-16-9) | San Jose, L 6-4 | TUE vs. Colorado

What We’re Hearing
“A lawmaker who harasses someone should be held accountable by their own peers through an Ethics process.”

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Top Story

1. Lobbyist Says She Was Harassed By Current PA Lawmaker, Wants Legislature To Change Misconduct Rules

Harrisburg Capitol Steps

“A lobbyist for one of Pennsylvania’s most influential unions says a sitting state House lawmaker sexually harassed her, and she is urging the legislature to expand internal rules that govern who can bring misconduct complaints.

Andi Perez, who advocates on behalf of Service Employees International Union 32BJ in Harrisburg, made the allegation Friday in Philadelphia during a listening session organized by new state House Speaker Mark Rozzi.

Perez said Friday that she was harassed by a male lawmaker while discussing a bill outside of the Capitol building. She did not provide the lawmaker’s name, his party affiliation, or additional details.” (Spotlight PA)

Related

Lobbyist Calls For Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy During Speaker’s Listening Tour in Philly. “A lobbyist who says she was sexually harassed by a state legislator asked Pennsylvania lawmakers Friday to strengthen the legislature’s misconduct policy.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Elections

2. Election-Denying Lawmakers Hold Key Election Oversight Roles

Audio/Video - Senator Cris Dush

“Republican lawmakers who have spread election conspiracy theories and falsely claimed that the 2020 presidential outcome was rigged are overseeing legislative committees charged with setting election policy in two major political battleground states.

Divided government in Pennsylvania and Arizona means that any voting restrictions those GOP legislators propose are likely to fail. Even so, the high-profile appointments give the lawmakers a platform to cast further doubt on the integrity of elections in states that will be pivotal in selecting the next president in 2024.” (AP)

Related

PA Legislature’s Special Election Bonanza Kicks Off With 27th Senate District On Tuesday. “Tuesday’s special election to fill the 27th District state Senate seat is the first of four legislative races to be decided in the next two weeks.” (PennLive)

In 35th District Special Election, GOP Newcomer Takes On A Longtime McKeesport Democrat. “State House District 35 represents many Monongahela Valley communities that are still struggling economically from decades-old economic changes, such as McKeesport, Clairton and Duquesne. But the outcome of a Feb. 7 special election here is one of three that could reshape the map of the entire state.” (WESA)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Declaring Emergencies And Banning ‘Latinx’: First Acts Of Nine New Governors

Josh Shapiro

“After a midterm election year in which statewide races were almost entirely wrapped up in national issues — abortion and democracy — the nation’s newly elected governors are showing their ambitions with a mix of virtue-signaling on national issues, currying favor with their political bases and, for some, reaching out to broader constituencies.” (New York Times)

Related

Philly Mayoral Candidates Say They’ll Declare A Crime Emergency. What Would That Really Do? “Nine Democrats are vying to replace Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, and nearly all of them have said they will do one thing he would not: Declare gun violence a citywide emergency. But it remains to be seen what such a declaration would do.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Now We’ve Got A Mayor’s Race, Philly. “It wasn’t until Cherelle Parker metaphorically picked Jeff Brown up, turned him upside down, and wiped the floor with him at the recent BBEx Wealth and Politics mayoral forum hosted by Diverseforce that people seemed jolted into the realization that we’ve got a mayor’s race going on.” (Philadelphia Citizen)

Kelly Assumes Important Role In 118th Congress. “The U.S. House of Representatives plowed through 33 votes in roughly 90 minutes Friday around lunchtime Friday, a pace that U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly found “invigorating.”” (Sharon Herald)

DeFoor Responds to PA School District Audit Criticism. “Pennsylvania Auditor General Tim DeFoor is responding to criticism his office has faced following an audit of a dozen school districts.” (WESA)

Rural PA Grows As State Loses 43 Urban Areas In The 2020 Census. “As 2022 ended, 43 communities in Pennsylvania lost their status as an urban area thanks to newly released criteria from the U.S. Census Bureau and federal dollars could be at stake.” (PennLive)

Retired 7-Term GOP PA House Member Dies On 69th Birthday. “Former Republican state Rep. Garth Everett, who served in the House from 2007 to 2020, died Saturday in Williamsport on his 69th birthday.” (PennLive)

Moderates To Discuss Empowering The Political Middle At Friday Forum. “Pennsylvania politicians will join Democratic political strategist Danny Ceisler and Committee of Seventy advisor David Thornburg for a symposium on empowering the political middle.” (Bucks County Courier Times)

Beck, Lane Pick Up PA Dems Endorsement. Superior Court candidate Jill Beck received the endorsement of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party for one of the two seats on the PA Superior Court this cycle. Timika Lane also earned the endorsement of the group.

Ups and Downs. Our recap of the week ending January 27. (PoliticsPA)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

A glance around the Keystone State at editorials and opinions.

1 Thing

5. Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day

Amazon.com : Amazon Basics Perforated Bubble Cushioning Wrap - Medium 5/16", 24-Inch x 100-Foot Long Roll : Office Products

Yes, you read that correctly. Today is National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day. A day to celebrate all the goodness of bubble wrap.

DYK: In 1957, two engineers, Marc Chavannes and Alfred Fielding, created the first bubble wrap, first trying to sell it as wallpaper and later marketing it as greenhouse insulation.

A survey by Sealed Air Corporation supposedly found that one minute spent popping Bubble Wrap relieves as much stress as a 33-minute massage.

You can relieve stress by popping virtual bubble wrap 24/7, or you can play one of three games. You can’t lose — it’s free!

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One Response

  1. Timika Lane wasn’t endorsed for Retention. She was endorsed for Superior court as well as Jill Beck. Also, Mcaffery was endorsed for Supreme Court.
    might want to do a redo.





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