News & Brews January 8, 2025
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Pa. House, Senate re-elect top leaders
Democrat state Rep. Joanna McClinton (Philadelphia and Delaware counties) was re-elected as Pa. House Speaker yesterday, despite the chamber’s temporarily being divided 101-101 due to one Democrat member’s absence following a medical emergency. McClinton initially tied 101-101 with House Republican Leader Jesse Topper (Bedford and Fulton counties). But then Topper exited the race, leading to McClinton’s win. On the Senate side, GOP state Sen. Kim Ward (Westmoreland County) was also re-elected as Senate President Pro-Tempore.
Gov.’s office forced to disclose reason for legal bills
A few years ago, Spotlight PA reported that former Gov. Wolf’s office had spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on legal bills but would not disclose the reason for those bills. After taking office, Gov. Shapiro continued the stonewalling. Spotlight reports, “The information was turned over to Spotlight PA late last month as part of a long-running court dispute.” While lacking several specifics, the information revealed that the nearly $368,000 was spent on an ethics investigation involving a top Wolf aide, state and federal grand jury investigations, and tax advice.
Fetterman is sole Senate Democrat to co-sponsor Laken Riley Act
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman is one of a few Senate Democrats supporting—and the only Senate Democrat to co-sponsor—legislation “that would require federal authorities to detain undocumented immigrants arrested for theft-related crimes.” The Inquirer reports, “The bill, passed with bipartisan support in the House on Tuesday, is slated to come up for a Senate vote on Friday. In addition to requiring federal detention of undocumented immigrants who commit theft, it would allow states to sue the Department of Homeland Security for harm caused to their citizens because of illegal immigration, greatly expanding the authority of state attorneys general.” The bill is named after the Georgia student who was killed by an individual who entered the United States illegally. In the House vote, all Pa. Republicans supported the bill, while just two Pa. Democrats—Reps. Brendan Boyle and Chris Deluzio—supported it.
Allegheny GOP Chair leaving post to join McCormick’s office
Sam DeMarco, who is both the chair of the Allegheny County Republican Committee and an at-large county councilman is leaving both posts to become U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick’s southwestern Pennsylvania regional director. The Post-Gazette notes that DeMarco is currently the only Republican elected to countywide office in Allegheny County.
Americans moved to low-tax states in 2024
The Tax Foundation reports that “recent US Census Bureau interstate migration data, as well as commercial datasets released last week by U-Haul and United Van Lines” all show the continuation of the ongoing trend of Americans’ opting for low-tax states over high-tax states. “Of the 26 states whose overall state and local tax burdens per capita were below the national average in 2022 (the most recent year of data available), 18 experienced net inbound interstate migration in FY 2024. Meanwhile, of the 25 states and DC with tax burdens per capita at or above the national average, 17 of those jurisdictions experienced net outbound domestic migration.”