News & Brews March 10, 2023

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State rep. announces run for auditor general

Democrat Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (Philadelphia), who ran an unsuccessful primary campaign for U.S. Senate last year, announced yesterday that he will run for state auditor general next year. Kenyatta is the first Democrat to announce his candidacy, although Democrat state Rep. Mark Rozzi, whose stint as House Speaker was hallmarked by complete inaction in the House, is also considering a run.

Op-Ed: Amid fall in membership rates, unions double down on politics 

Our president and CEO Matt Brouillette writes for RealClear Pennsylvania that although union membership rates are falling, instead of seeking new ways to serve their members, unions are doubling down on politics. Indeed, “The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that in 2022, the overall union membership rate fell to its lowest levels since the government began tracking it in 1983.” But instead of “listening to their members,” unions are “aggressively pursuing power-seeking political activity, spending millions to advance their progressive agenda.”

Meet the Republican who handed Dems the House … and blocked voter ID

On January 3, House Republicans had the opportunity to elect a GOP Speaker and send a highly popular voter ID measure to voters to consider in the May primary. Instead, one Republican member upended it all—refusing to elect a GOP Speaker (other than himself), handing Democrats the majority, and blocking voter ID from reaching voters in May. Our political director, Jeremy Baker, explains in an op-ed in Broad + Liberty.

Pa. musician challenges forced unionization

What do you do when you’re the principal timpanist in an orchestra but are opposed to the politics of the union you were forced to fund? If you’re Glen Wilkofsky of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, you stand up for your rights in court.

Pa. Senate votes to ban TikTok from state devices

On Wednesday, the state Senate unanimously passed a bill, sponsored by Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (York County), that would ban TikTok from state-owned networks and devices. If passed by the House and signed by Gov. Shapiro, the ban would be the latest of similar efforts by various state agencies. Of concern is “the ability of the Chinese government to use TikTok for nefarious purposes,” notes PennLive.

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