News & Brews March 31, 2022
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GOP Senate candidate forum gets heated
Well, yesterday’s GOP Senate candidate forum wasn’t quiet, that’s for sure, with several (but not all) of the candidates repeatedly breaking the agreed-up rules that candidates wouldn’t attack or interrupt each other. Amid the mudslinging, the candidates also managed to answer questions on energy, inflation, government regulations, and more. The Post-Gazette has the story.
Op-Ed: Josh Shapiro has a Lt. Gov. problem
From defending Gov. Wolf’s business shutdowns to backing PA’s entrance into RGGI, Democrat Attorney General Josh Shapiro has some baggage when it comes to running for governor this November. But even before he gets there, Shapiro may have another problem in the May primary election: state Rep. and Lt. Gov. candidate Brian Sims. Our president and CEO Matt Brouillette explains in an op-ed in the Bucks County Courier Times. Read it here.
YouTube says oops; reinstates GOP gubernatorial forum video
Well, oops. After removing the video of a recent GOP gubernatorial forum on grounds that it violated YouTube’s misinformation policy (whatever that is), the Tube has backtracked, reinstating the video, apologizing to the PA Family institute (which organized the forum), and saying YouTube made a “mistake” in yanking the video. Lest you think the Tube did this of its own accord, the reversal came after “significant media attention, public criticism and an appeal by Pennsylvania Family Institute.” Read more at PA Family’s website. And you can watch the replay of the forum here. (Don’t worry, this isn’t the YouTube link, just in case the Tube has another ‘oops’ moment.)
Senate hearing today on drop boxes
The Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee will hold a hearing this morning at 10am on ballot drop boxes. Scheduled to testify are Dr. John Lott, president of the Crime Prevention Resource Center; Leslis Osche, Chairman of the Butler County Board of Commissioners; Jessica Morgan, Luzerne County Judge of Elections; and Lehigh County resident Joseph Vichot. The hearing will be live-streamed here.
House committee passes ‘last ditch’ effort to stop Wolf’s charter school mandates
Despite a certain veto from Gov. Wolf should the resolution reach his desk, the House Education Committee passed a concurrent resolution to reject Wolf’s rules targeting charter schools. The rules garnered approval last week from the Independent Regulatory Review Commission. PennLive reports that Committee Chair Curt Sonney (R-Erie County) “said the committee’s action on Wednesday is an essential part of the process to preserve the final opportunity to try to prevent the rules from being enacted either through a governor’s change of heart or a veto override.”