News & Brews November 19, 2024
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Pa. Supreme Court (again) rules on ballots
For the third time, yesterday the Pa. Supreme Court again directed all 67 Pa. counties that undated or improperly dated mail-in ballots “shall not be counted.” The court specified that all counties, “including the Boards of Elections in Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia County, SHALL COMPLY with the prior rulings of this Court in which we have clarified that mail-in and absentee ballots that fail to comply with the requirements of the Pennsylvania Election Code … SHALL NOT BE COUNTED for purposes of the election held on November 5, 2024.” After the ruling, the Bucks County commissioner who had openly declared her violation to prior court rulings claimed her comment had been misinterpreted and expressed appreciation to the court for clarity. In reality, her comment was as clear as day, as were the TWO prior court rulings. It wasn’t clarity that was lacking, it was a respect for the rule of law.
‘Shapiro’s strategy of silence’
For days as counties violated the Pa. Supreme Court’s orders on ballots, Gov. Shapiro remained completely silent. When he finally issued a statement afteryesterday’s ruling, he also blamed the court for prior lack of clarity (again, the court had been supppppppeeerrrr clear). But Shapiro’s silence isn’t anything new. Our president and CEO Matt Brouillette explains in the Pottstown Mercury how Shapiro has embraced a strategy of silence throughout his gubernatorial tenure, particularly in three specific scenarios. (In a similar vein, the Wall Street Journal also blasted Shapiro for his silence followed by “a weak statement.”)
Candidates choose late fine rather than disclose donors?
Candidates for state office are required to file campaign finance reports by specific dates throughout the year, and the penalty for late filing is $250. But the Post-Gazette reports that some lawmakers say that some candidates are opting to pay the late penalty rather than reveal their donors shortly before elections. GOP Rep. Valerie Gaydos (Allegheny County) “said she intends to file legislation that among other things would increase penalties and address delays at the department in posting reports when they are received.” Indeed, the latter is also a major issue, as the Department of State often has reports listed “in data entry” for weeks after they are received, and sometimes the Department doesn’t get the reports posted until after the election, rendering the filing deadlines effectively moot for the purposes of transparency during elections.
IFO predicts growing budget deficit
Flying a bit under the radar given the ballot-counting mess was a recently released report from the state’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO). Last week, the IFO released its five-year economic and budget outlook. And, to summarize, it’s not good. As the Commonwealth Foundation’s Nathan Benefield explains, the IFO “projects a $3.5 billion PA Budget deficit this year, a $4.5 billion deficit next year, and a cumulative $32 billion gap over six years. Without controlling spending, that would result in a massive tax hike on Pa. families in 2026.” You’ll recall, of course, that multiple Republican lawmakers warned this would happen given the massive spending increases (which rely on reserve and Rainy Day funds) in the current state budget.
Convicted former officials have new taxpayer-funded jobs
Ah, government. The Inquirer reports that “[t]hree former Philadelphia elected officials who were convicted on corruption charges and left office in disgrace have found a second chance — with taxpayer-funded jobs.” Philly Mayor Cherelle Parker’s administration has hired former Traffic Court Judge Willie Singletary and former Democrat State Rep. Leslie Acosta. Singletary, who is now earning $90,000 per year “was kicked off the bench for sexual harassment in 2011 and convicted in 2014 of lying to the FBI about fixing a ticket.” Acosta, whose salary is $70,000, “pleaded guilty in 2016 to helping facilitate a money laundering conspiracy at a low-income mental health clinic.” And former Democrat state Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell now has a $75,000-per-year job in the sheriff’s office, after she “pleaded guilty to theft and perjury after being charged with taking $500,000 from a nonprofit that she founded.”