News & Brews October 23, 2025
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Shapiro’s support for Spanberger raises questions
As the Virginia gubernatorial race heats up, Democrat Abigail Spanberger is taking heat for supporting Democrat attorney general nominee Jay Jones. News broke a while back that Jones had sent text messages fantasizing about putting “two bullets to the head” of his political opponent while also dreaming of watching his opponent’s children die in their mother’s arms. Spanberger refused to rescind her endorsement of Jones and also posted a video bragging about voting for him. Now, Shapiro is going to Virginia to campaign for Spanberger, a move that seems to contradict his rhetoric about opposing all political violence.
What’s Shapiro been up to amid budget impasse?
Besides heading to Virginia to campaign for Abigail Spanberger, Gov. Josh Shapiro has been traveling elsewhere, too. This is even as Pennsylvania is 115 days into a state budget impasse. But instead of “getting stuff done” on the budget, “Shapiro has been busy leading a taxpayer-funded PR campaign and logging miles to boost his national profile,” writes the Commonwealth Foundation’s Erik Telford. On his schedule? Writing a memoir, flying to Hollywood, leaving the country, and more.
Pa. Senate votes to cancel RGGI rules
In a bipartisan 33-17 vote yesterday, the state Senate backed a bill that would repeal regulations connected to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Six Democrats joined all Republicans in supporting the bill, which now heads to the state House. You’ll recall former Gov. Wolf forced Pa. into RGGI absent legislative approval. The Commonwealth Court struck down Wolf’s order, but Gov. Shapiro appealed to the state Supreme Court, which has been sitting on the case.
Democrats pitch data center regulations
At a hearing yesterday hosted by the Democrat-controlled Pa. House Energy Committee, lawmakers discussed taxing and regulating data centers. WESA reports that one Democrat proposal “would require large data centers to use 25% renewable energy and have them pay into utility assistance programs.”Meanwhile, a representative of the Data Center Coalition “cautioned that overregulating will discourage the industry’s growth in Pennsylvania.”
U.S. Steel to restart coke battery damaged in blast
The Tribune-Review reports that today, “U.S. Steel is restarting one of two batteries damaged by a deadly explosion in August at its Clairton Coke Works.” The blast killed two workers and injured nearly a dozen others. “The startup process is expected to begin in the afternoon following final safety checks and equipment evaluations…. The company said it has notified the Allegheny County Health Department of its plans and will remain in close contact with the agency as it brings the battery back online.”