News & Brews April 29, 2025
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Shapiro: ‘More ambitious than loyal’
In their new book, Fight. Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House, co-authors Jonathan Allen (of NBC) and Amie Parnes (of The Hill) recount, among other things, the battle for the veepstakes. In a recent interview with PoliticsPA, Allen explained, “We talked to sources who said that there were warnings about [Gov. Josh] Shapiro, in particular, being very ambitious and maybe not being able to play second fiddle to Harris if he was on the ticket.” Allen added that the idea of loyalty was also a factor. “The vetting committee was warned by others that Shapiro had a reputation for, perhaps, slipping a knife here or there.” And there was concern that “Shapiro was more ambitious than loyal.”
UPenn could face DOJ over transgender policy
The Delaware Valley Journal reports, “The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced Monday that the University of Pennsylvania violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 by allowing biological males to compete on women’s athletic teams and access women-only facilities, thereby denying women equal opportunities. The ruling, addressed to Penn President Larry Jameson, gives the university 10 days to enter a voluntary resolution agreement or risk referral to the U.S. Department of Justice for enforcement proceedings.”
Philly to begin figuring out what proposed legislation actually costs
Philly has lots of things: The Liberty Bell, the Eagles, and Reading Terminal to name a few. But one thing it doesn’t have is “a standardized process for analyzing the fiscal impacts of proposed legislation,” which “is a standard practice in many legislative bodies, including the Pennsylvania General Assembly,” the Inquirer reports. Philly Mayor Cherelle Parker aims to change this, and she announced yesterday that her Office of Legislative Affairs “will work with department heads to examine proposals before Council and post reports with ‘unbiased and objective analysis’ on a new city website.”
Stelson v. Perry, Round 2?
Former TV anchor Janelle Stelson, a Democrat, is “strongly considering” running again against Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry in 2026. PennLive reports, “Pennsylvania Republican State Committee Chairman Greg Rothman said he fully expects Perry to be back on the ballot next year as Republicans try to hold onto the razor’s edge majority they won in 2024.” Perry edged out Stelson 50.63 percent to 49.37 percent last year.
Brouillette named to City & State PA Power 100 List
Congratulations to our own President and CEO, Matt Brouillette, who has been named to City & State PA’s 2025 Power 100 List for his decades-long work to free kids from crummy, union-run schools and fight for free-market policies that empower everyone to achieve success! (Is that a Gadsden Flag in the background? Why yes. Yes, it is.)