News & Brews September 24, 2024
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Top Shapiro official opposes audit of automatic voter registration system
You’d think a top state official whose agency registers voters would welcome an audit of the program to ensure election integrity and assure voters who may have questions or concerns. You’d think wrong. Even as Pa. Supreme Court justices of both parties have expressed concern over Shapiro’s so-called “motor voter” system, PennDOT Secretary Michael Carroll, whose agency administers automatic voter registration, is criticizing Auditor General Tim DeFoor’s recently launched audit of the system.
Luzerne County flips red in voter registration
For the first presidential election since 1972 (if the numbers hold), registered Republicans will outnumber registered Democrats in Luzerne County. According to voter registration data released yesterday by the Pa. Department of State, the county has 87,415 registered Republicans to 87,332 registered Democrats. WVIA notes, “While the Republicans’ lead may not be substantial, it formalizes a shift underway for more than a decade.”
Philly Dem’s old social media posts raise eyebrows
The Delaware Valley Journal reports that Democrat Philly state Senator Jimmy Dillon “finds himself in hot water yet again as social media posts surface featuring the use of the ‘N’ word, as well as other problematic phrases.” (This follows “reports of Dillon having an outstanding arrest warrant from the state of New Jersey for failure to pay his fines for traffic offenses and failure to appear in court.”) The posts were made about a decade ago but led Senate Republican Campaign Committee Executive Director Cody Harbaugh to state that Dillon’s “behavior is disqualifying, period. We call on Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa and the Senate Democrat Campaign Committee to swiftly condemn Jimmy Dillon and his use of vile slurs and remarks.”
Shapiro, Zelenskyy sign partnership agreement
As Gov. Shapiro welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Pennsylvania this past weekend, the two also signed an agreement between the commonwealth and the Ukrainian province of Zaporizhzhia. ABC27 reports, “The agreement ‘aims to leverage the strengths of both regions and support the region’s efforts to rebuild after the war while providing Pennsylvania businesses an opportunity to participate in the reconstruction through the Department of Community and Economic Development,’ the state says.”
Annual Pa. March for Life draws thousands
The Delaware Valley Journal reports that thousands of people gathered in front of the state Capitol yesterday for the fourth annual Pa. March for Life, which “many state lawmakers say is the largest rally they have ever seen in Harrisburg, uniting pro-life Pennsylvanians from all corners of the Commonwealth in a powerful public display of support for protecting the human dignity of every life – including preborn babies.” The event came as Pennsylvania’s largest abortion provider “has expressed its goal is to remove current safeguards on abortion….”