News & Brews October 13, 2022
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Lawmaker calls on Wolf administration to follow SCOTUS ruling on mail-in ballots
After the U.S. Supreme Court vacated a federal appeals court ruling that undated mail-in ballots should be counted, Acting Pa. Secretary of State Leigh Chapman issued a statement saying the Supreme Court ruling doesn’t change anything for the upcoming elections. In response, House State Government Committee Chair Seth Grove, who has championed election reform efforts, responded, “The Wolf administration has continually relied on the state Supreme Court to alter the state’s election laws and happily followed their rulings when it suits his needs. But when a ruling for the nation’s highest court doesn’t fit his narrative, the administration opts to simply ignore it. This is not how our system of government works. I am calling on Chapman to follow the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on the Lehigh County case.” Read Grove’s full statement here.
Video: PennLive Ed Board interview with John Fetterman
The PennLive Editorial Board met with Democrat U.S. Senate nominee John Fetterman as he seeks the Ed Board’s endorsement. Fetterman’s health was among the topics on tap. While he requested that closed captioning be used during the interview so he could read the questions, Fetterman maintains he is up to the task of serving in the Senate. Read the story and watch the interview here (or you can watch the replay on Facebook). Meanwhile, an NBC News reporter’s comment about Fetterman’s ability to understand small talk is drawing criticism.
Wolf gets an ‘F’ on fiscal policy report card
A new CATO Institute report card grading governors on their “fiscal policies from a limited-government perspective” gives Gov. Wolf an “F,” ranking him among the governors who “have increased taxes and spending the most.” Others receiving a failing grade include the governors of New Jersey, Illinois, and California. Meanwhile, Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa received the highest grade. Check out the report card here.
Legislation would award damages to those wrongfully convicted, incarcerated
Legislation introduced by Republican Rep. Frank Ryan (Lebanon County) and Democrat Rep. Regina Young (Philadelphia and Delaware counties) would “implement a streamlined process for individuals to seek compensation when they have been incarcerated as a result of a wrongful conviction.” City & State PA reports that eligible individuals would be compensated “based on the number of years they spent incarcerated,” and “damages would equate to $100,000 for each year of imprisonment or involuntary treatment while awaiting a death sentence, $75,000 for each year of imprisonment or involuntary treatment for any other sentence or $50,000 for each year spent on parole or probation.” The bill currently sits in the House Judiciary Committee.
Shapiro for governor president?
And lastly, the Inquirer touches on the obvious: If Democrat Josh Shapiro “wins big” in November, “it would be an eye-catching swing state victory that could vault him to national prominence.” Indeed, the story notes that “few who know the meticulous and ambitious attorney general doubt that he has plans for the biggest prize in American politics.”