Manufacturing, immigration, crime, the economy, and alleged election fraud in 2020 dominated JD Vance’s Saturday two speeches in Pennsylvania, just weeks out from the election.
Speaking at a Saturday afternoon rally in Johnstown, the Ohio Senator and Republican vice-presidential candidate spoke for 40 minutes, in what has become a routine stop on the campaign trail. The Keystone State is a vital part of both candidates’ strategy to win the White House.
Johnstown is a small city of less than 20,000 inhabitants which has suffered decades of industrial decline following the closure of its steel mills and coal mines.
It has featured on the campaign trails of both presidential candidates as well as Vance. Vice President Kamala Harris visited some local businesses there in September, and Donald Trump held a rally in the city in August.
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JD Vance speaks during a campaign Town Hall on Saturday, October 12, 2024, in Reading, Pennsylvania. Manufacturing, immigration, crime, the economy, and alleged election fraud in 2020 dominated JD Vance’s two Saturday speeches in Pennsylvania. JD Vance speaks during a campaign Town Hall on Saturday, October 12, 2024, in Reading, Pennsylvania. Manufacturing, immigration, crime, the economy, and alleged election fraud in 2020 dominated JD Vance’s two Saturday speeches in Pennsylvania. Laurence Kesterson/ASSOCIATED PRESS
The repeated visits are emblematic to of the critical role Rust Belt cities, which lost most of their manufacturing economies decades ago, played in electing Trump in 2016, on his America-first manufacturing platform.
They were then crucial in electing President Joe Biden, who in 2020 campaigned as a pro-union, pro-manufacturing candidate who came from coal-mining Scranton, Pennsylvania.
In his 40-minute speech, Vance addressed Johnstown’s industrial heritage, casting himself and Trump as the candidates who would deport millions of “illegal aliens” to secure its economic future, and casting Harris as a candidate who would do nothing to prevent its decline.
He also continued to suggest that the 2020 election was unfair, following on from his Friday New York Times interview, in which he declined five times to acknowledge that Trump lost the election to Biden.
Later in the afternoon, he held a town-hall style rally in Reading, in eastern Pennsylvania, where he took questions from the audience and addressed the importance of voter turnout, home ownership, energy costs, and the need to “drain the swamp” of allegedly corrupt officials in the FBI and Justice Department.
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Here five key takeaways from the events.
Capitol Rioters Were “Knuckleheads” and Trump Is Not To Blame
A reporter asked Vance whether he condemned the riot at on January 6, 2021, where Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in order to disrupt the certification of Biden’s victory.
In response, Vance said he did condemn the riot, but he denied that Trump was responsible for the actions of the rioters and insisted that there was a “peaceful transfer of power” in 2020.
“Donald Trump asked people to protest peacefully,” Vance said. “He had every right to encourage people to protest peacefully, and the fact that a few knuckleheads went off and did something they shouldn’t do, that’s not on him; that’s on them, that’s on them.”
This answer diverges slightly from Trump’s own view, which has repeatedly been the rioters, over 1,200 of whom have been criminally charged, were not “knuckleheads,” but rather were “patriots.”
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He has insisted he would pardon them if elected to a second term. However, like Vance, Trump denied any involvement in the riot, stating during his September debate with Harris, “That had nothing to do with me.”
Trump’s alleged involvement in the lead-up to the riot is subject to an ongoing federal criminal case in Washington D.C., which is currently going through pretrial motions.
Trump and Vance Would Clean House at the FBI and the DOJ
Vance told a story about an FBI field agent who he said told him that the agency’s leadership is “so broken.”
“You’ve got to clean house, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Vance said. “We’re going to fire the people who are responsible for the corruption of our Department of Justice.
“Trump got famous firing people and it’s funny, you know, that’s the kind of person you actually want cleaning house in Washington D.C.”
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Newsweek has contacted the Department of Justice and the FBI via email for comment.
Trump and other Republicans have accused the Justice Department of being corrupt for bringing charges against the former president, and the FBI of engaging in numerous alleged politically motivated conspiracies against Trump and other conservatives.
Lower Housing Costs by Deregulating, Drilling, and Deporting
In response to a question about the increasing unaffordability of housing, Vance listed some of Trump’s economic policies which involve removing regulations, drilling for more oil, and deporting migrants.
Repeating the slogan, “drill baby, drill,” Vance argued that by increasing oil production, energy costs would decrease, which would lead to lower housing costs.
He also argued that excessive regulation was holding back housing development, and that American citizens were suffering due to having to compete with undocumented immigrants in the housing market.
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“Unless we have American homes (…) going to American citizens, we are never going to make the American dream of home ownership affordable,” Vance said.
The U.S. Would Currently Lose a War With China
Vance argued that China would be able to win a war with the U.S. due to its superior manufacturing capacity.
“God forbid, let’s say we get into a war with China, and I certainly hope that doesn’t happen, but those commercial ships [sic] are going to start building warships very quickly,” Vance said.
“And this is the secret of why did we win the Second World War? Well of course we had the bravest people, and we had the best troops, but we had the world’s industrial might. No one could compete with America’s manufacturing sector.”
Vance argued that creating a regulatory environment which made it easier for businesses to manufacture in America was therefore not just economically essential, but also in the country’s national security interests.
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Republicans Are Ahead in Voter Registrations in Pennsylvania
Vance said that Pennsylvania Republicans are “knocking it out of the park” in relation to voter registrations.
“We are actually tracking some of this registration stuff,” Vance said. “Things are moving in the right direction and that’s a very good thing.”
This year has seen rising Republican registrations in the Keystone State. Spotlight PA reported in September that in 2024, the Democrats have had their weakest voter registration advantage compared to Republicans in decades
As of September 16, Democrats made up 44 percent of registered voters in the commonwealth, down from a 2009 high of 51.2 percent, while Republicans were at 40.2 percent, up from 36.9 percent in 2009. Unaffiliated and third-party voters have boosted their numbers even more, from 11.9 percent in 2009 to 15.7 percent.
Newsweek has contacted the Harris and Trump campaigns via email for comment.
Pennsylvania is littered with more than 2,500 natural and manmade inland lakes. So when you find the deepest of these tucked among state forests 130 miles east of Pittsburgh, you’ve probably stumbled upon a gem. Raystown Lake’s rural location makes it one of Pennsylvania’s best-kept secrets, often overlooked for other lakes closer to the state’s cities and civilization. But those who commit to the three-hour drive are rewarded with 8,300 acres of tranquil and clear water that reaches a maximum depth of 200 feet. While it’s not as deep as Wazee, Wisconsin’s deepest inland lake and scuba diving gem, it still offers great fishing, swimming, boating, and other water sports.
Raystown Lake can thank Raystown Dam for its impressive depth, as this manmade reservoir only came to be when the Juniata River, just north, was dammed to control flooding. While natural lakes in Pennsylvania don’t exceed 85 feet in depth, Raystown’s significantly deeper and colder areas make it a better spot for anglers seeking deep-water fish species worthy of their trophy cabinets. These game fish range from striped bass (stripers) and trout to walleye and Atlantic salmon.
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Raystown Lake is also surrounded by over 21,000 acres of pristine forest covering the encircling Allegheny mountains in earthy greens and browns — a picturesque setting for a day on the water. The lake’s size and numerous fishing spots along its 118-mile shoreline also help it feel uncrowded when you’re sharing the water with other fishing boats, pontoons, kayaks, and houseboats. Fishing Booker recommends looking for the largest stripers in Raystown’s deepest sections, while largemouth and smallmouth bass can be caught in shallower spots. You can also reel in 20-pound trout during winter and fall when fishing depths beyond 80 feet. Trolling, jigging, and ice fishing are also all possible here during the year.
Peaceful camping at Pennsylvania’s Raystown Lake
Karen Leisey/Shutterstock
After driving three hours here from Pittsburgh or 3.5 hours from Baltimore, no one expects you to turn around at the end of the day and drive all the way back. That’s why Raystown Lake has about 20 campgrounds for tents and RVs to choose from, as well as houseboats, glamping, B&Bs, hotels, and resorts. The campgrounds typically let you stay closest to the water and provide a serene setting to escape those everyday stressors for a while. They’re also generally more affordable.
If you love roughing it, Putt’s Camp is open year-round. This no-frills campground offers eight campsites for group bookings, including one waterfront spot. You also have a picnic shelter, fireplace, water pumps, and vault toilets. It’s close to state forest walking trails and a quiet section of the lake for swimming, fishing, and paddling. Seven Points Campground is another great option, especially for families and anglers wanting to catch largemouth and striped bass. Open from April to October, it has over 260 tent and RV sites, adjacent walking trails, and beach and marina access. Hot showers, electric and water hookups, playgrounds, a nearby grocery store, and picnic tables all make the camping experience much more comfortable.
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Raystown Lake is a year-round destination surrounded by natural scenery and charming towns, including Huntingdon, a picturesque Pennsylvania borough nestled along the Juniata River about 13 miles away. The borough also has the Lincoln Caverns, a small show cave where you can pan for real gems, in case you don’t have any luck fishing. Speaking of fishing, you’ll need to purchase a Pennsylvania fishing license online beforehand. And always stick to the state’s bag and size limits — it helps keep the lake well-stocked for everyone to enjoy.
Bones and skulls visible in the back seat of a car near an abandoned cemetery on Philadelphia’s outskirts led police to a basement filled with body parts, which authorities say were hoarded by a man now accused of stealing about 100 sets of human remains.
Officers say a Tuesday night arrest culminated a monthslong investigation into break-ins at Mount Moriah Cemetery, where at least 26 mausoleums and vaults had been forced open since early November.
Investigators later searched the Ephrata home and storage unit of Jonathan Christ Gerlach, 34, and reported finding more than 100 human skulls, long bones, mummified hands and feet, two decomposing torsos and other skeletal items.
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“They were in various states. Some of them were hanging, as it were. Some of them were pieced together, some were just skulls on a shelf,” Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse said.
Most were in the basement, authorities said, and they also recovered jewelry believed to be linked to the graves. In one case, a pacemaker was still attached.
Police say Gerlach targeted mausoleums and underground vaults at the 1855 cemetery. It’s considered the country’s largest abandoned burial ground, according to Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery, which helps maintain the 160-acre landmark in Yeadon that’s home to an estimated 150,000 grave sites.
Police had been looking into the string of burglaries when an investigator checked Gerlach’s vehicle plates and found he had been near Yeadon repeatedly during the period when the burglaries occurred. Police say the break-ins centered on sealed vaults and mausoleums containing older burials, which had been smashed open or had stonework damaged to reach the remains inside.
He was arrested as he walked back toward his car with a crowbar, police said, and a burlap bag in which officers found the mummified remains of two small children, three skulls and other bones.
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Gerlach told investigators he took about 30 sets of human remains and showed them the graves he stole from, police said.
“Given the enormity of what we are looking at and the sheer, utter lack of reasonable explanation, it’s difficult to say right now, at this juncture, exactly what took place. We’re trying to figure it out,” Rouse told reporters.
Gerlach was charged with 100 counts each of abuse of a corpse and receiving stolen property, along with multiple counts of desecrating a public monument, desecrating a venerated object, desecrating a historic burial place, burglary, trespassing and theft.
He is jailed on $1 million bond. No lawyer was listed in court records. A message seeking comment was texted to a cellphone linked to him.
A sports field at Ridley Municipal Park in Delaware County has been shut down after police say off-road vehicles tore up the grass following a mid-December snowstorm, causing thousands of dollars in damage and threatening spring sports for hundreds of local children.
Ridley Township police say the field is now unsafe and unplayable after individuals illegally drove all-terrain vehicles and a dune buggy across the grass, leaving deep ruts and torn-up turf.
“The issue that we’re having is the field is unplayable now,” Sgt. Mark McKinney, of the Ridley Township Police Department, said.
Police believe the damage happened when the suspects were “joy riding” on the field after snowfall, performing donuts that dug deep grooves into the ground.
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“We believe they were joy riding. They did some donuts in the grass, and it dug up some big ruts into the grass, which causes a problem for when the kids have to go back out on the field in the spring,” McKinney said.
Investigators are asking for the public’s help identifying three individuals seen on surveillance video riding ATVs and a dune buggy through Ridley Township streets. Detectives believe they are responsible for an estimated $5,000 to $10,000 in damage to the park field.
Repairing the field will not be quick or simple, police said.
“It’s not just something that you can just go out there and patch right away,” McKinney said. “It’s something that’s going to take time.”
The repair process involves laying new soil, rolling the field and growing new grass — a timeline that could disrupt the upcoming sports season.
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“You can’t have the kids on there while the grass is growing or the grass won’t grow,” McKinney said. “So it’s set up quite a bit of a dilemma for us.”
The damage is especially personal for McKinney, who also serves as a coach for Ridley Youth Lacrosse. Fellow coach Matt Flynn said the damaged field is their primary game field, with the season scheduled to begin in less than two months.
“Right now, the field would be unplayable because any kid would turn their ankle in the ruts,” Flynn said.
Flynn added that the situation is frustrating after months of work maintaining the field.
“It’s more disappointment because we work so hard to get that field into good shape, and now we just have to start again and do more work, and then find other fields to play on during the season,” he said.
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Township officials are currently gathering repair estimates, but the field will remain closed until it is safe for play.
Police say the suspects could face charges including trespassing and criminal mischief. Anyone who recognizes the individuals seen in the surveillance footage is urged to contact Ridley Township police detectives.
