News & Brews February 2, 2022
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A look at first fundraising reports in gov’s race
Yesterday was the deadline for gubernatorial candidates to report how much they raised through December 31, 2021. The Inquirer takes a look at the numbers, noting that severalcandidates raised at least $1 million: Republicans Bill McSwain, Dave White, Jason Richey, Lou Barletta, and Jake Corman, and Democrat Josh Shapiro. (White gave himself $3 million and Richey gave himself $1.5 million.) By far the biggest total was from Shapiro, who raised $13.4 million. Reports for a few of the remaining GOP candidates were not yet available. Read the story here.
And on the U.S. Senate fundraising front…
The AP reports that “cash is pouring into” our U.S. Senate race, with spending already into the double-digit millions. The top fundraiser so far, according to OpenSecrets.org, is Democrat John Fetterman, who’s raised more than $11.8 million. The open race to succeed retiring Republican Senator Pat Toomey is expected to be one of the most competitive (and high-stakes) in the country this year.
Judge will soon rule on redistricting, unless state Supreme Court steps in
Commonwealth Court Judge Patricia McCullough, who last week presided over several days of hearings on proposed congressional maps, told the state Supreme Court yesterday that her decision and opinion in the case will be filed no later than this Friday and will “include a revised election schedule pertaining only to the circulation and filing of, and objections to, nomination petitions.” The Supreme Court is considering whether to take over the case, which it could do at any time.
Report: PSERS chief withheld info from board members
Yesterday, PSERS released the long-awaited report on the internal investigation into the fund. Read it here. Relating a key point from the investigation, Spotlight PA reports, “The former top executive of Pennsylvania’s largest pension fund was warned by his chief financial officer that its figure for profits might be too high, but instructed his senior staff not to share the cautionary information with the plan’s board.” This move, the story notes, “set the stage for the board to vote to certify an incorrect and exaggerated sum for its investment performance — a costly mistake for teachers and one that triggered an ongoing investigation by the FBI, federal prosecutors, and financial regulators.” Read the story here.
Previewing Gov. Wolf’s final budget address
Spotlight PA takes a rose-colored look at Gov. Wolf’s upcoming budget address, scheduled for Tuesday, February 8. Making no specific mention of the millions of Pennsylvanians Wolf put out of work, the many businesses he closed, the charter school funding he tried to cut, the educational opportunity he vetoed, the government unions he pacified … I could go on … the piece makes only a few mentions of Wolf’s clashes with the Legislature while noting he will focus his budget address on his legacy. Grab your own rose-colored glasses and read the piece here.