News & Brews November 21, 2023
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Shapiro touts his (questionable) record at press club lunch
At the Pennsylvania Press Club Lunch yesterday, Gov. Josh Shapiro said he’s ‘gotten stuff done’ during his first year, while blaming the things he hasn’t gotten done on the tired refrain that he’s the only governor in the country with a full-time, divided legislature. When asked about Lifeline Scholarships, he shifted blame to the Legislature—as if he should be expected to “get stuff done” only when government is not divided.
Time for the latest lawmaker salary hike
PennLive reports that beginning December 1, “Base salaries for lawmakers will … top $106,000 a year, establishing Pennsylvania again as the third highest paid state legislature in the nation.” The new figure is up from $102,844, which went into effect last year. The pay increase is the “result of a 1995 law that automatically ties the pay for legislators, judges and the governor and other top executive branch officials to the Consumer Price Index for the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland area.” Gee, you’d think to get a pay raise, lawmakers would at least have to pass a state budget.
Dems national dark money machine dominates Pa. elections
Our president and CEO, Matt Brouillette, tracked the Left’s out-of-state and dark money spending in the recent Pa. Supreme Court race. “The media howls about outside money or individual Pennsylvanians engaging on behalf of Republicans,” Matt writes, “but largely turns a blind eye to special interests bankrolling Democrats. With final spending reports still coming in, nearly 95% of McCaffery’s funding came from unions, trial lawyers, other special interests, and dark-money groups.”
2nd Republican enters race for AG
Former Delaware County District Attorney Kat Copeland has announced her bid for the Republican nomination for Attorney General. She joins Republican Dave Sunday in the race. (Sunday has been endorsed by the Republican Attorneys General Association.) Copeland points to her 30-year career in the DelCo DA’s office and in the U.S. Attorney’s office, saying she has “the most legal and law enforcement experience of any candidate.”
Facing re-election, Casey tries to message tough economy
The Inquirer reports that “as Democrats have struggled mightily to message effectively on the economy and look to shift away blame Republicans have successfully directed their way,” U.S Sen. Bob Casey is trying a different tactic. He’s “acknowledging the price pain” but blaming it on ‘greedy’ corporations rather than failed economic policies. Only time will tell if Pennsylvania voters buy this.