News & Brews June 14, 2022

Several House Republican lawmakers have initiated impeachment proceedings against Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner for “absolute and willful dereliction of duty” that’s led to historic homicide numbers. The lawmakers note, “The statistics speak for themselves. As of June 5, 2022, there have been nearly 1,000 people who have been injured or killed with firearms in the city, most of them illegally possessed.” Read more here.

Biden to address union convention in Philly today

This morning at 9am, the House Majority Policy Committee will hold its third hearing on the causes and impacts of historic inflation facing Pennsylvanians. This morning’s hearing, which will be live-streamed here, will focus on “the impact of inflation on working people and their families.” A fourth hearing, focusing on “long-term solutions to rising costs,” is scheduled for June 21. (Click here for a recap of the first two hearings.)

The state’s Independent Fiscal Office has released a new report looking at Pennsylvania’s gas tax. Among the findings: From 2013 to 2018, the annual gas tax burden per Pennsylvania licensed driver rose from $190 to about $302. See the report here, and read the Center Square’s story on the report here.

Last year, the federal government filed a lawsuit to void the internal leadership election of IBEW Local 98 in Philly. According to the Inquirer, the suit alleged that “labor leader John J. Dougherty and his allies had threatened those who had considered challenging them for leadership positions.” Now, IBEW has settled the suit and agreed to allow the Department of Labor to supervise the union’s next internal leadership election. Dougherty, once considered the most powerful unelected politician in Pennsylvania, resigned as head of Local 98 last fall following his conviction on federal charges of bribery. Since 2010, his union’s political spending has topped $40 million, according to state campaign finance reports.