Democrats in the state Senate sue Republicans in response to the GOP-approved subpoena seeking voter records and personal information of every registered voter in the state. Here is the Playbook. 

News 

PAC Aims to Elect Pro-Business Republicans in SEPA: The Keystone Free Enterprise Freedom Fund was “created to elect more pro-Free Enterprise candidates to state and local office in Pennsylvania, with a special emphasis on Chester County and Southeastern PA.”

September 17th Ups and Downs: New polling shows the potential impact a Trump endorsement may have in Pennsylvania, the state’s longest serving Corrections Secretary announces his next chapter, plus a news organization unionized. All of that and more are in this week’s Ups and Downs.

‘Pa. Senate Democrats sue Republicans to block election review subpoena’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “Democrats in the Pennsylvania Senate sued their Republican colleagues Friday evening to block them from subpoenaing voter records as part of a review of the 2020 election.”

‘Bipartisan election bill introduced in Pennsylvania’: The Associated Press reports that “bipartisan legislation to try to fix disputed or gray areas of Pennsylvania’s election law was introduced Friday in the state Senate, after more than a year of lawsuits, partisan bickering and legislative stalemates inflamed by last year’s presidential election.”

‘Super PAC hits Parnell on protective orders requested by wife’: POLITICO reports that “a super PAC backing a rival Republican candidate is hitting the airwaves with an ad highlighting two instances when Pennsylvania Senate candidate Sean Parnell’s wife sought protective orders against him.”

‘McSwain cites his conservatism and toughness as pathway to GOP nomination for Pa. governor’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “leaning into his record as a top federal prosecutor under former President Donald Trump, Bill McSwain says he is a principled conservative who has the toughness to win a statewide race for governor, bolstered by a focus on public safety and an affinity for small government.”

‘Pa. General Assembly’s disaster response faces first test with Hurricane Ida’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “at the top of the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s agenda when it returns Monday is taking on its new, co-equal role in disaster management by extending a state of emergency for flood and tornado damage in the Philadelphia suburbs.”

‘Pa. House to vote on extending rule allowing members to participate remotely’: PennLive reports that “when members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives return to session on Monday following their summer break, their first order of business will be to extend the temporary rule that allows members to vote by proxy.”

‘Thousands of Pennsylvania students request mask exemptions’: The Associated Press reports that “thousands of students have requested to go mask-free in Pennsylvania schools, claiming a medical exemption amid fierce local opposition to the state’s new face-covering mandate.”

‘Mask-wearing is not child abuse, and saying so minimizes real problems: Pa. advocates’: PennLive reports that “an army of child welfare advocates are striking back at those who are making claims that requiring children to wear masks in school during a pandemic is a form of child abuse.”

‘Rep. Scott Perry Claims Jailed Jan. 6 Rioters Being Treated like ‘Terrorists at Gitmo’’: VICE News reports that “Pennsylvania Congressman Scott Perry suggested that the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6 are being treated like terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay, pushing the false narrative that the right-wing rioters are being punished for their political views.”

‘Supreme Court urged to review ban on drug injection sites’: The Associated Press reports that “supporters of a plan to open supervised injection sites to try to reduce overdose deaths urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to review a court decision that bans the practice.” 

‘Pennsylvania’s labor force shrank, payrolls flat in August’: The Associated Press reports that “Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate dropped to another post-pandemic low, according to state figures released Friday, but the labor force shrank in August and payrolls remained virtually flat as employers, such as restaurants and school bus companies, struggle to find enough employees.”

‘Wanda Williams, Democratic nominee for Harrisburg mayor, issues answer to Papenfuse write-in bid’: PennLive reports that “Wanda Williams, Harrisburg’s City Council president and the winner of the Democratic primary for mayor, issued a statement through her campaign late Monday night in response to incumbent Mayor Eric Papenfuse’s decision to seek a third term through a write-in campaign.”

‘Pittsburgh’s Director Of Mobility Will Take A Job With The Biden Administration’: WESA reports that “a key member of Mayor Bill Peduto’s administration has taken a job with President Biden’s Federal Transportation Administration, according to a release from the city.”

‘Doyle stumps for affordable housing bill; urges Senate to match $300 billion-plus price tag’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “the U.S. Congressman who represents Pittsburgh — a city that’s lost half of its low-cost rental units in the last two decades — is calling on the Senate to match the hundreds of billions of dollars for affordable housing that’s included in the House’s budget reconciliation bill.”

‘Taxes, housing, and violence prevention are still on the agenda as Philly City Council gets back to business’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “many Council members are in agreement that Philadelphia’s affordable housing crisis needs to be addressed. But they are far from on the same page about how to address it.”

‘Philly Council President moves to limit affordable housing zoning bonus in his district’: WHYY reported on Friday that “Council President Darrell Clarke introduced legislation today that would ban affordable housing zoning bonuses in virtually all of his North Philadelphia district.”

‘Council reviewing plan to cap third-party food delivery fees at 15%’: WHYY reports that “a member of Philadelphia City Council wants to put a permanent cap on third-party restaurant delivery changes.”

‘Mayor Kenney signs wage and health benefits bill for workers at Philadelphia International Airport’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “service workers at Philadelphia International Airport will get a bump in pay and health benefits beginning next year under a bill signed into law by Mayor Jim Kenney, officials confirmed Friday as City Council started its fall legislative session.”

‘Kensington’s Recovery Plan’: The Philadelphia Citizen reports that “at the epicenter of the region’s opioid and homelessness crisis, the River Wards have been all but abandoned by city leaders. But does the City already have a solution to the problem?”

‘AG Secretary speaks on state of agriculture’: The Williamsport Sun-Gazette reports that “speaking before a room filled with members of the agricultural community, future farmer students, area legislators and community members, the state Secretary of Agriculture Russell C. Redding said that the pandemic has “reminded us all of how important agriculture is, but just how fragile this agricultural system is.””

‘Cartwright: Child Tax Credit tax cut payments helping area families’: The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reports that “U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright this week announced that an estimated 96,000 Child Tax Credit monthly tax cut payments were sent to families in the 8th Congressional District in August, according to a new report from the Joint Economic Committee.”

‘Houlahan visits Chester County locations ravaged by Ida’: The Daily Local News reports that “U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan this week concluded a two-day Hurricane Ida aftermath survey where she crisscrossed the county, visiting the hardest hit areas.” 

‘U.S. Steel Looking For Site To Build New Steel Mill’: KDKA reports that “U.S. Steel will be looking for a site to build a new steel mill.”

‘Commonwealth Court sides with Chester in Water Authority battle’: The Daily Local News reports that “after Thursday’s Commonwealth Court decision that Chester has the authority to sell the Chester Water Authority, the CWA filed a request Friday for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to hear the case.”

‘Elections director disputes report claiming voter fraud in Washington Co.’: The Observer-Reporter reports that “Washington County’s elections director disputed a report that has been circulating in the community in recent months claiming fraud in the 2020 presidential election.”

‘Reading City Council questions if homelessness and drug use issues are on the rise in the downtown’: The Reading Eagle reports that “two councilwomen questioned if homelessness and drug use in the Reading’s downtown are on the rise after they witnessed several examples of it.”

‘Jail Oversight Board set to meet over controversial prison contract’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “the Allegheny County Jail Oversight Board will hold a special meeting Monday to review background information on a controversial prison contractor hired by the jail.”

‘Pa.’s school mask mandate is law. Will Lancaster county officials enforce it?’: LNP | LancasterOnline reports that “many school districts in Lancaster County are preparing to roll out Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s Sept. 7 mask mandate for the first time after allowing students, parents and administrators a short grace period. But it’s not clear who — if anyone — will actually enforce violations of the law here.”

‘Activists gather in downtown Reading to promote Freedom to Vote Act’: The Reading Eagle reports that “local activists gathered in downtown Reading Friday night to call on Pennsylvania U.S. Sens. Pat Toomey and Bob Casey to help pass the Freedom to Vote Act.”

‘Elected officials hear from Pine Grove residents and business owners during roundtable and tour’: The Reading Eagle reports that “members of the Pine Grove community recently made their voices heard during a roundtable discussion and tour with three of the elected officials who represent them in Harrisburg and Washington.”

‘Afghan refugees to be resettled in Lancaster in coming weeks’: LNP | LancasterOnline reports that “a group of Afghan refugees is expected to arrive in Lancaster County in the next three weeks, a local resettlement agency announced Friday.”

‘Lehigh Valley will be home to dozens of Afghan allies and refugees’: The Allentown Morning Call reports that “since the United States started its military withdrawal from Afghanistan this year, more than 20 Afghan allies and refugees have settled in the Lehigh Valley. In the coming weeks, as many as 30 additional Afghans fleeing the brutal rule of the Taliban will join the Lehigh Valley’s growing Afghan refugee community.”

‘After 3 years of flat state funding, Penn State will formally request an increase this year’: The Centre Daily Times reports that “after three straight years of flat funding from the state, Penn State is poised to request nearly a 6% increase in its annual state appropriation for the next fiscal year.”

‘Bridgeville Mayor Betty Copeland honored with Mayor of the Year Award during council meeting’: The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that “the Bridgeville Borough Building was abuzz Tuesday evening as residents and guests gathered in pride and excitement as Mayor Betty Copeland was formally awarded the 2021 Mayor of the Year Award by the Pennsylvania State Mayors’ Association.”

Opinion  
Lisa Thompson: Can the senator from bellwether Erie County lead a new (old) style of GOP leadership?
Paul Muschick: Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s pandemic business waiver program was even worse than we thought
Paul Muschick: PIAA should do this to prevent teams from ducking tough opponents
PennLive Editorial Board: Philadelphia’s gain of Harsco and Rite Aid is a deep loss for Central Pennsylvania 
LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board: Good progress in bolstering Lancaster County’s crisis intervention infrastructure, but more resources are needed 
LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board: We’re grateful for Lancaster General Health, but Lancaster County still needs a public health department
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Time has come to bargain drug prices
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Keeping South Side safe
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Selling the site of Western Pen
Reading Eagle Editorial: Pennsylvania lawmakers shouldn’t be snooping on voters
Morning Call: ‘This makes me embarrassed to live in Northampton’: Reaction to antimasker Steve Lynch and ‘20 strong men’ at school board
Tony Norman: Eyes wide shut at Central York High School
Nancy Knoebel: What’s needed to retain home care workers when they can earn more with warehouse jobs
Michael P. Tremoglie: Need not greed should drive opioid settlement 
David M. Shribman: Two presidential addresses, 80 years apart, speak to the nation
Keith C. Burris: Mr. Bush’s astonishing speech
David Rubin and Susan Coffin: Fear is our worst enemy when it comes to COVID-19 and children
Meredith Weber: Philly students should be eating lunch outside as COVID-19 continues 
Will Bunch: Ignoring Haitians’ humanity exposes Biden’s broken promise — and a looming crisis 
Mark O’Keefe: The U.S. should unite like it did after 9/11 
Colin McNickle: Pay your own way USGA 
Tim Hartman: Saving money with the Pa. Turnpike Commission | Editorial Cartoon