News & Brews August 17, 2026
Get News & Brews in your inbox each day: Subscribe here!
Federal subpoenas center on Philly lobbyist
The Inquirer has an interesting albeit somewhat vague story, reporting that “Federal investigators last summer issued subpoenas for documents and financial records related to William F. Dunbar Sr., a Philadelphia lobbyist who was a close confidant of Mayor Cherelle L. Parker during her 2023 campaign.” Included almost as an afterthought in the story is that Dunbar also co-chaired Gov. Shapiro’s 2023 inaugural committee. What are investigators looking for? Not quite sure. It seems the subpoenas were for “records related to [Dunbar’s] business and political dealings. One source described the investigation as ‘fairly broad.’”
Will national GOP groups help Garrity?
The Inquirer considers whether national groups like the Republican Governors Association will engage in Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial race. “Even with Pennsylvania’s status as a preeminent swing state that went for Trump two years ago,” the Inky notes, “there are nearly a dozen more competitive gubernatorial races across the country this fall, according to the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan group that provides election analysis.”
Schools are tossing kids onto public transit
Spotlight PA reports that some traditional Pa. public schools are telling public charter school families that their kids will no longer get traditional bus transportation to schools. Instead, these kids are being given transit cars to ride public transportation. While this has already been the case in some urban areas, the story reports, “charter school advocates say the lack of infrastructure in some rural and suburban regions can limit the safety of students reaching and riding public transit, and lengthen commute times.”
The politics of primary election calendars
If you’re like me, sometimes you forget that not only are primary elections themselves political, but when primary elections happen—particularly in the presidential primary—is a pure product of party politics. We’re seeing this up close as Democrats voted over the weekend to change the state voting order for their 2028 presidential primary. POLITICO reports that the new calendar, which puts South Carolina first, “elevates several more racially diverse states — and scrambles the political calculus for several likely candidates.” Specifically, “Democrats’ new calendar is designed to give more voice to traditionally Democratic voting blocs who’ve shifted right in recent years.” For example, Black and Latino voters. “The changes could upend how several would-be candidates approach coalition-building after years of starting off in heavily white states.”
The hidden ‘courtroom’ inflation driving up costs
Why should the average Pennsylvanian care about what’s happening in courtrooms? Because that’s where a hidden form of inflation is driving up costs. Pennsylvania Coalition for Civil Justice Reform Executive Director Curt Schroder explains that per a new study, “lawsuit costs are increasing faster than normal inflation and that the biggest reason is rapidly growing jury verdicts…. Why should anyone outside the legal profession care? Because the public ultimately pays the cost of larger and less predictable lawsuits. Businesses, hospitals, physicians, nonprofit organizations, schools, manufacturers, trucking companies, contractors and retailers all buy liability insurance. When claims become more expensive, premiums rise. Those costs eventually appear in health care bills, prices for goods and services, and decisions about whether to hire, expand, or invest.”
