News & Brews April 24, 2026
Get News & Brews in your inbox each day: Subscribe here!
Treasury: ‘no legal authority’ to pay for upgrades for Shapiro’s private residence
Yesterday, state Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced that without legislative action, her office lacks the legal authority to pay for security upgrades to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s private home in Montgomery County. Pennsylvania State Police had approved the taxpayer-funded upgrades, but Garrity said the police “simply ignored the statutory limits and restrictions on spending and procurement.” She noted, “Payment requests for security construction upgrades to the Governor’s private home with state funds is unprecedented.” Shapiro’s office, of course, blasted the move as “political.” But Garrity noted that her office would pay for the upgrades if lawmakers include them in the state budget. Lawmakers have raised concerns about the payments, given the improvements would be to Shapiro’s private home and not his official state-owned residence.
National Dem PAC to spend $20M in Pa. congressional races
The Wall Street Journal reports that the House Majority PAC, which is “the main outside group supporting Democrats’ efforts to regain control of the House is reserving $272 million in television and digital advertising ahead of the November midterm elections, with most of the money targeting seats currently held by Republicans.” This includes about $20 million in Pennsylvania—specifically, “nearly $13 million in the Philadelphia area, which includes a suburban seat held by Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who represents a rare GOP-held district won by Kamala Harris in 2024. The PAC also has reserved more than $3 million apiece in Harrisburg and Wilkes-Barre, Pa., where Democrats hope to defeat GOP Reps. Scott Perry and Rob Bresnahan, respectively.”
Midterms are ‘test’ of Shapiro’s ‘political power’
The AP reports that Gov. Shapiro is hitting the campaign trail (and writing checks) in his push “to give Democrats control of the state legislature for the first time in decades. And he’s pushing his favored candidates in competitive congressional primaries, an attempt to mold his party’s slate in the midterm elections that will determine control of Washington.” And while “pouring money into down-ballot races and flipping seats may not help Shapiro with the average voter … activists, donors and other elected officials care a great deal about that.” That’s because success would “help Shapiro prove his mettle when the presidential campaign season cranks up.”
Philly doubles down on anti-ICE standing
The Inquirer reports that the Philadelphia City Council yesterday passed seven anti-ICE bills backed by progressive council members. The bills “will ban law enforcement agents from obscuring their identities with masks, prohibit federal authorities from using city property for immigration enforcement, and codify the city’s long-standing status as a so-called sanctuary city.” The package marks “some of the most aggressive measures” targeting ICE in the country.”
Pa. Senate again moves to protect women’s sports
The state Senate again voted this week to protect women and girls from being forced to play sports against biological males. In the bipartisan 30-17 vote, four Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the bill. Meanwhile, state House Democrats have repeatedly refused to bring the legislation to the floor for a vote, no doubt afraid it will pass.