Pennsylvania Perspective for Monday, May 23, 2022

May 23, 2022

Pennsylvania

Financial Watchdogs Caution Against Using COVID Relief Funds for Recurring Expenses

Nonpartisan public finance experts say Pennsylvania should refrain from using federal COVID-19 aid for recurring expenses or new programs, as the state will likely see a significant financial drop off once those funds are all used or expired. City & State PA has more .

Fetterman Released From Hospital

Lt. Gov. and Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate John Fetterman was released from a Lancaster hospital on Sunday a week after suffering a stroke and having surgery to implant a pacemaker. Fetterman says he will focus on recovering before returning to his political duties. Read more from the Associated Press.

How Mastriano Built a Winning Gubernatorial Campaign on Grassroots Support

GOP nominee for governor Doug Mastriano won the Republican primary handedly with strong grassroots support, as well as a platform built from planks of conservative Christianity as well as electoral conspiracy theories. Spotlight PA has more .

DEP Secretary Will Resign; Names Ramez Ziadeh as Acting Secretary

Today, Governor Wolf announced the Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell will leave his position on July 2nd. Read the press release here .

Shapiro Defends TV Ad Linking Mastriano to Trump

Democratic nominee Josh Shapiro is defending an ad his campaign sponsored calling GOP nominee Mastriano “Trump ’s strongest supporter, ” aimed at elevating Mastriano over the other primary candidates in order to push moderates to support Shapiro. Read more from the New York Times.

Democratic Groups Drop $6 Million on Anti-Mastriano Ad Campaign

Democratic-aligned political groups are launching a massive ad campaign on GOP nominee Doug Mastriano, hoping his comments in favor of a complete abortion ban will push away swing voters. Politico has more .

ICYMI: Bridge Tolling Project Put on Hold By Courts

The State Commonwealth Court issued an injunction pausing a PennDOT project to add tolls to certain bridges, which is aimed at supplementing the gas tax, which is decreasing in revenue. Read more from The Center Square.

Independent Fiscal Office Releases May 2022 Report

The Commonwealth ’s Independent Fiscal Office Released its report for this month.

 

Philadelphia

Council to Consider Competing Tax Relief Bills

Mayor Kenney and Councilmember O ’Neill released competing bills to lessen the tax burden on homeowners, each offering similar benefits and relief structures. WHYY has more.

Masking Required Again in Philadelphia Schools After a Spike in Cases

Philadelphia ’s public schools are again requiring students to wear masks after a spike in cases, with Cheltenham ’s school district following suit. Read more from CBS Philadelphia.

West Philadelphia Committee People To Lead Gun Violence Mobilization

Sadja “Purple ” and Tommy Blackwell, a married couple and the new committee people for the 5th division of the 60th ward, say they plan to use their new positions to mobilize their territories against gun violence. WHYY has more .

 

Pittsburgh

Allegheny County Election Officials Meet to Work Towards Finalizing Vote Counts

Election officials met today to begin the last step in counting all votes in the primary election, including decisions on 1,900 provisional ballots cast on Tuesday which could be of significant influence in the GOP U.S. Senate primary in which the top two candidates are separated by about one percent. WTAE has more .

 

Federal

McCormick and Oz Bring In Teams of Lawyers to Fight Over Final Uncounted Ballots

In a primary election which will be decided by razor-thin margins, the two leading U.S. Senate candidates Mehmet Oz and David McCormick are each bringing in teams of lawyers to argue for the counting of ballots which they hope will sway the election. The Inquirer and Morning Call have more.

 

Beltway Briefing: All Eyes on Pennsylvania

The 2022 midterm elections are set to be historic, and Tuesday was the most dramatic night of the primary election season to date. Voters in five states, including Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Idaho, Kentucky and Oregon, cast ballots for Senate, governor and House. Some of the highest-profile battles were fought in Pennsylvania, where the night ’s marquee contest — the GOP Senate primary – has yet to be decided.

Members of Public Strategies ’ Pennsylvania team – including Jim Davis, Joe Hill, and Kevin Kerr – join Howard Schweitzer and Mark Alderman to discuss the key takeaways from the primary election in the Commonwealth, which in many ways encapsulates America’s choice in the 2022 midterms. Listen here .

 

Biden Using War Powers to Increase Supply of Baby Formula

President Biden is using some wartime powers to increase the supply of baby formula in the U.S., including authorizing emergency military flights loaded with completed formula and granting the two largest formula producers in the U.S. easier access to necessary raw materials. Read more from Politico.

About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.

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