News & Brews March 24, 2026
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ICE agents expected in Pa. airports as TSA workers call out
The Inquirer reports that more than 24% of Philadelphia Airport’s approximately 900 TSA workers called out on Sunday amid the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown. Now, ICE agents are expected to come to the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh airports “as part of an effort to manage delays at security checkpoints.” A Philly airport spokesperson directed questions to the TSA and DHS. Philly Mayor Cherelle Parker’s office didn’t respond to a request for comment. And oddly enough given Gov. Shapiro’s tough talk on ICE, the Inquirer story doesn’t even mention him.
Pa. Leadership Conference fast approaching
The annual Pennsylvania Leadership Conference, which is the largest and longest-running gathering of public policy conservatives in the state, is fast approaching. The three-day event will be held at the Penn Harris Hotel in Camp Hill from April 9-11. This year’s featured speaker is Chris Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax, Inc. Additional speakers include U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, Attorney General Dave Sunday, state Treasurer and Republican gubernatorial candidate Stacy Garrity, Auditor General Tim DeFoor, multiple state legislators, and many, many others. Click here for more information and to register.
Electric power ‘superhighway’ coming to Pennsylvania?
The Post-Gazette reports that NextEra Energy and Exelon Corp. “are planning to build an extra-high voltage transmission ‘superhighway’ across 10 counties in southwestern and central Pennsylvania,” intended in large part “to help satisfy the expected electricity demand for new computing power in the eastern half of the state…. The line would enable power to be imported into Pennsylvania from plants in Ohio, Illinois and other states to the west and south.”
Court removes GOP candidate from ballot
Last week, I shared the story that Republican Ehab Akkary, who was running against Democrat state Rep. Arvind Venkat (Allegheny County) faced a legal challenge to his candidacy. Now, WESA reports that a Commonwealth Court judge has ruled that Akkary has not lived in Pennsylvania long enough to meet the residency requirements to serve as a state legislator. “The ruling leaves Venkat, an emergency physician running for a third term, with no rival in either the Democratic primary or the November general election.”
WSJ: ‘Democrats are on a taxing binge’
This November, Democrats are hoping to gain trifecta control in Pennsylvania, meaning they would control the state House, Senate, and governor’s office. (Currently, Republicans control the Senate). But a Wall Street Journal editorial highlights that “everywhere you look across the country, [Democrats are] aiming to grab more taxpayer cash.” In Virginia, for example, where Dems did indeed recently gain a trifecta, they are using their new power “to wallop high earners. One bill would impose a 3.8% tax on investment income of taxpayers making more than $500,000, which would raise the top rate to 9.55%. Another bill would create two new individual top tax brackets of 8% (starting at $600,000) and 10% (more than $1 million).” If Dems gain control in Pa., we can expect the same and other tax increases here.