News & Brews April 1, 2026
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Shapiro v. Trump, mail-in voting edition
Yesterday, President Trump signed an executive order “requiring states to impose stricter mail-in voting rules and directing his administration to create a list of confirmed U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote in each state.” CBS News reports that “the additional requirements, made without any action by Congress, are all but certain to face challenges in the courts.” Among those objecting is Gov. Josh Shapiro, who posted (well, his PR team did at least), “President Trump can sign whatever the hell he wants to, but it won’t change the Constitution. The authority to set our election rules belongs to the states — and as Governor, I will protect your right to vote. That includes your right to vote by mail.”
Cutler picks preferred successor in GOP primary
Republican state Rep. Bryan Cutler (Lancaster County) who formerly served as House Speaker and is not running for re-election this year, has endorsed retired state trooper Kelly Osborne in the race to succeed him. Osborne is facing business owner Dave Nissley in a contested GOP primary in this heavily Republican district. The LNP reports, “Cutler’s endorsement is especially powerful after the county GOP failed to endorse a candidate in the race at its annual convention in February. After eight rounds of voting, neither Osborne nor Nissley were able to secure the required two-thirds majority of committee member votes to receive the endorsement.”
Judge says UPenn must comply with Trump subpoena
POLITICO reports, “A federal judge has ordered the University of Pennsylvania to comply with a subpoena from the Trump administration examining alleged harassment of Jewish employees.” The subpoena was issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission “to gather evidence and identify potential victims of alleged acts of antisemitism in the wake of the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel,” and it “sought lists of Jewish-linked school groups and organizations.” In his ruling, the judge rejected the university’s “concerns that the request could infringe on the rights, safety and privacy of Jewish members of the university by mandating the creation and compilation of a list including ties to their religious identities.” The university plans to appeal.
Adults lose fight to sue Pa. agencies over sexual assault
The Center Square reports that the state Supreme Court has ruled that a “law that lets children sue entities like school districts over sexual assault does not apply to adults.” The case stemmed from “a former inmate in a Philadelphia jail [who] sought to sue over sexual assault by other inmates, hoping to use the same waiver of immunity children can use.” But the court said “that language in the law makes it clear that waiver only applies in minors’ cases.”
Could Johnny Doc get another chance to walk?
After a U.S. district judge rejected a request by convicted former Philly labor leader John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty for early release from prison to care for his ill wife, that judge has now “said he would hold an evidentiary hearing next month to consider the request.” The Inquirer reports that “Dougherty has been making the request in emergency motions since last year,” and after the denial in January, Dougherty’s attorney appealed. Yesterday, the judge “agreed to hold a hearing on the matter on April 17. [He] did not explain his decision, which was made in a one-page order.”