News & Brews April 8, 2025
Get News & Brews in your inbox each day: Subscribe here!
Report: The Left is increasingly tolerant of political violence
A new report from the Network Contagion Research Institute finds that “tolerance – and even advocacy – for political violence appears to have surged, especially among politically left-leaning segments of the population.” Further, “A broader ‘assassination culture’ appears to be emerging within segments of the U.S. public on the extreme left, with expanding targets now including figures such as Donald Trump and Elon Musk.” Just wondering where the Southern Poverty Law Center’s infamous ‘hate map’ is on all this…Anyone? Anyone?
Trump orders new review of U.S. Steel-Nippon Steel sale
Yesterday, President Trump ordered a new review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United State of the proposed sale of U.S. Steel to Japan-based Nippon Steel. Former President Biden and President Trump had both opposed the sale. But Trump stated in his order that the purpose of the new review is “to assist me in determining whether further action in this matter may be appropriate.”
Dems targeting four Pa. congressional seats in 2026
The Inquirer reports that Democrat have their sights set on flipping four U.S. House seats in Pa. in next year’s elections: “two they hope to regain and two they’ve been trying to win for years.” Specifically, “The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee [DCCC} … is focusing its midterm attention on longtime representatives U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R., Bucks) and Scott Perry (R., York), and on two freshmen: U.S. Reps. Ryan Mackenzie (R., Lehigh) and Rob Bresnahan (R., Lackawanna).” Of all the states, Pa. has the most seats on DCCC’s target list.
Court confirms lawmaker-lobbyists emails not subject to Right-to-Know
A Commonwealth Court panel has upheld a decision by the state Senate to deny a Right-to-Know request from the media outlet Spotlight PA for emails between senators or their staff and lobbyists. Writing for the majority, Judge Stacy Wallace said that the communications in question do not qualify as “legislative records,” which are subject to Right-to-Know. Interestingly, despite Spotlight’s obvious displeasure with the court ruling, the media outlet is not appealing the ruling to the state Supreme Court.
State supreme courts are battlegrounds: Pa. is next
The AP reports that the recent Wisconsin state Supreme Court election saw $100 million in spending—a record high for a judicial race. Now, with that race behind us after liberal Susan Crawford won a handy victory, Pennsylvania is “bracing” for our own “Wisconsin-style election in the fall.” Here, three Democrat justices are running for retention for another 10 years.