News & Brews June 22, 2026
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Another transparency problem for Shapiro
Spotlight PA reports that for more than two years, Gov. Shapiro’s office has kept secret an inspector general report on elder abuse, first refusing to say whether a report existed and then claiming ‘confidentiality’ when records proved it did. But that claim doesn’t really hold water, as previous governors have released such reports. “The secrecy makes it impossible to know what problems, if any, the latest probe uncovered in the state’s ability to protect older adults from harm.”
Pa. Dem trifecta could mean end of school choice
Writing in RealClear Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Foundation Senior Fellow Guy Ciarrocchi warns that if Democrats win a state government trifecta this year—holding the House and governor’s office while flipping the Senate—it could mean “the slow death of school choice” in the commonwealth. He explains that Dems have already “put their teachers’ union-’inspired’ vision into legislation.” And the three-part strategy includes slashing funding for school choice options, imposing “cumbersome regulations that take money away from education,” and spending billions more on government schools.
DOJ sues Philly over ‘ICE Out’
The U.S. Department of Justice has sued the City of Philadelphia over a package of bills targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Center Square explains that the DOJ contends the package is “an unconstitutional attempt to regulate federal law enforcement operations. The complaint challenges provisions that would prohibit officers from wearing face coverings in certain circumstances, require visible identifiers, and restrict the use of unmarked vehicles in the city.”
Garrity on running to be 1st female governor?
The Inquirer reports that even as Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity vies to be the commonwealth’s first female governor, this aspect of a potential win is not something she wants to focus on. “It’s my least favorite thing to talk about,” she says. “I was the oldest of four daughters, and we were just told that we were expected to work hard.” And honestly, I can’t blame her. Can we just ditch the dumb identity politics of all stripes and focus on qualifications? (Well, we know the Inquirer can’t, so there’s that.)
Philly set to beg Harrisburg (i.e. you) for more $$$
Today, city officials from Philly are heading to Harrisburg to beg the state for millions of dollars more from you, the taxpayers. The Inquirer reports, “The mayor’s message to lawmakers will be largely focused on securing capital dollars for the district’s $3 billion plan to modernize 169 aging school buildings over the next decade…. Finding that money in Harrisburg could be a tall task as the state faces its own multibillion-dollar budget shortfall.”