Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s Governor-Elect Ran on Saving Democracy. Then He Appointed a Trump White House Lawyer.
In 2007, when Josh Shapiro was a member of the Pennsylvania Home of Representatives, the Democratic Celebration discovered itself in a bind. Shapiro had been in workplace for simply two years, first elected in 2004 in an uphill battle for an open seat as soon as held by his Republican opponent, a former member of Congress. Shapiro received by 10 proportion factors, and his marketing campaign grew to become a mannequin for centrist Democrats looking for to strengthen the social gathering’s base in pink elements of the state.
Though he was a newcomer, Shapiro rapidly gained the respect of his Democratic colleagues. The social gathering had simply received management of the state Home, however they’d a one-seat majority and couldn’t agree on who needs to be speaker. That’s when Shapiro made a telephone name.
On the opposite finish of the road was Republican state Rep. Dennis O’Brien. Shapiro recommended a deal: O’Brien may develop into the Republican speaker for a Democrat-held chamber, and Shapiro could be the first-ever deputy speaker. The commerce — a Democratic majority for Shapiro’s newly created management place — foretold the fashion of politics Shapiro would interact in over the subsequent 15 years.
Since his win in Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial race final month, Gov.-elect Shapiro has packed his transition workforce with Republicans, lobbyists, rich donors, and company executives from firms like Comcast, Aramark, and Independence Blue Cross. However one member of Shapiro’s transition personnel committee stood out: Although Shapiro’s complete election technique was that he was the anti-MAGA candidate, his workforce included James Schultz, a former affiliate White Home counsel below President Donald Trump.
[TK quote critical of the pick]
Shapiro’s workforce, which declined to remark for this text, framed Schultz’s appointment as an effort by the incoming governor to encourage bipartisanship, constructing a broad tent and bringing individuals collectively in an extension of his marketing campaign messaging. Through the GOP major, Shapiro spent advert cash publicizing Republican candidate Doug Mastriano’s pro-Trump positions; Mastriano stated he owed Shapiro a debt of gratitude. Then Shapiro undertook a method of waving his centrist banner and beat Mastriano by virtually 15 proportion factors within the common election.
Profitable over Republicans that opposed Trump’s full-throated embrace of election denialism was a key a part of the technique, in response to a memo launched by the Shapiro marketing campaign on Thursday. His marketing campaign was backed by distinguished Republicans, together with Schultz, who defected from the GOP after Mastriano, an election denier, received the first; Schultz stated Mastriano would “injury the conservative mission.”
“Josh campaigned as a moderating voice, so it’s not shocking that he would encompass himself with various views,” stated Ken Snyder, a Democratic strategist in Pennsylvania. “Jim labored for Trump, but in addition stood as much as him by opposing his endorsed candidate Doug Mastriano. In immediately’s Republican Celebration that reveals braveness. It’s good that Josh would reward braveness.”
After serving as a lawyer for Trump’s 2016 Republican Nationwide Conference and transition workforce, Schultz took his place as a White Home lawyer for a lot of Trump’s first yr in workplace. As he was leaving workplace, he stated his plan was at all times to do a brief stint and that the controversies round Trump didn’t have an effect on his resolution.
In an interview on the time with Politico, Schultz defended the Trump White Home, saying it was being unfairly maligned by critics lusting for energy. “Some within the information media unfairly criticize this administration and take each alternative to take pictures, even once they’re not justified,” he stated. “There have been people on the market attempting to make a reputation for themselves in that house by being critics to be able to set themselves up for different positions down the highway.” He additionally praised Trump’s work reshaping the federal judiciary.
Up to now, Schultz generally took a hard-line conservative tack. In 2013, when he was common counsel below former Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, Schultz wrote a short opposing same-sex marriage that included a comparability of homosexual marriage to baby marriage. The transient was extensively denounced — together with by Schultz’s boss on the time, Corbett, who disavowed the comparability after the actual fact, in addition to Shapiro, who has lengthy been vocal in help for the fitting to homosexual marriage.
Mark Segal, founder and writer of Philadelphia Homosexual Information, stated he labored with Schultz on an reasonably priced LGBTQ+ housing mission below Corbett and thought of him a pal. Segal stated he later lobbied Corbett by way of Schultz to face down on the homosexual marriage case. Requested about Schultz’s later work for Trump, Segal stated, “I feel proper now we’ve all realized that Trump doesn’t take heed to his attorneys.”
Amongst fellow Democrats, Shapiro’s critics have lengthy feared that his ascent would imply compromises with Republicans that put the social gathering in danger by spurning the bottom that received him elected. They cited his help for all the pieces from scholarships for options to public educations that would bleed Philadelphia’s crumbling faculty district to his reasonable positions on legal justice reforms.
Within the 2022 gubernatorial race, Schultz praised Shapiro for being “powerful on crime” and opposing Larry Krasner, Philadelphia’s embattled progressive district lawyer. Shapiro and Krasner have butted heads because the chief metropolis prosecutor took workplace, although Shapiro has refused to touch upon an unprecedented Republican-led effort to question Krasner.
Pennsylvania
How to be a poll worker in Pennsylvania
Who can I contact if I have more questions?
You can call 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772) or email ra-voterreg@pa.gov with questions about the poll worker interest form. You can also reach out to your local county’s election office for more details. For the Greater Philadelphia area, the contacts are the following:
Bucks County
Elections & Voter Registration
55 E. Court St.
Doylestown, Pennsylvania, 18901
Phone: (215) 348-6154
Email: elections@buckscounty.org
Chester County
Elections
Karen Barsoum
Government Services Center
601 Westtown Road, Ste. 150
PO Box 2747
West Chester, Pennsylvania, 19380-0990
Phone: (610) 344-6410
Email: ccelectionofficials@chesco.org
Voter registration
Stephanie Saitis
Government Services Center
601 Westtown Rd., Ste. 150
PO Box 2747
West Chester, Pennsylvania, 19380-0990
Phone: (610) 344-6410
Email: ccelectionofficials@chesco.org
Delaware County
Elections
Laureen Hagan
Chief Clerk/Director
201 W. Front St.
Government Center Building
Media, Pennsylvania, 19063
Phone: (610) 891-4673
Email: DelcoElection@co.delaware.pa.us
Voter Registration
Crystal Winterbottom
Interim Voter Registration Director
201 W. Front St.
Government Center Building
Media, Pennsylvania, 19063
Phone: (610) 891-4659
Email: DelcoElection@co.delaware.pa.us
Montgomery County
Elections & Voter Registration
Montgomery County Voter Services
One Montgomery Plaza
425 Swede St., Suite 602
Norristown, Pennsylvania, 19401
Phone: (610) 278-3280
Email: montcovotes@montgomerycountypa.gov
Philadelphia County
Elections
Philadelphia County Board of Elections
142 City Hall
1400 JFK Blvd.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107
Phone: (215) 686-3469
Voter Registration
Voter Registration Office
520 N Columbus Blvd.
5th Floor
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19123
Phone: (215) 686-1590
Pennsylvania
Remnants of Hurricane Helene will pass close to rainy Pennsylvania
Hurricane Helene hit Florida as a powerful Category 4 storm on Thursday, and while it’s weakened since, it’s still bringing heavy rain to some states.
The storm center isn’t tracking to Pennsylvania, according to the National Hurricane Center, but it will be close. Related flash-flood warnings have been issued in Ohio and West Virginia, and Pennsylvania will continue to get rain.
- More: Statewide weather alerts
That includes the Harrisburg area, where it’s been raining all week — and more wet days are ahead. The National Weather Service forecast calls for rain in central Pennsylvania through at least early Wednesday.
Live radar over Pennsylvania:
On Saturday, the National Weather Service says, the Harrisburg area is expected to have rain on and off, especially in the morning. The Weather Channel shows less than a 20% chance of rain much of the day. The high temperature is forecast to be around in the low 70s.
Stevie Nicks is set to perform in Hershey tonight, at the outdoor stadium, rain or not. Anyone heading to other outdoor events should check for changes in plans or venues.
Helene has led to the deaths of at least 44 people in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Millions are without power, and countless buildings and roads have been destroyed or damaged.
The forecast in central Pennsylvania for the next few days:
- Today: Showers, high 74, low 65
- Sunday: Showers, high 69, low 63
- Monday: Showers, high 69, low 61
- Tuesday: Rain, high 68, low 59
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Pennsylvania
Busy on phone Pennsylvania dad arrested after toddler, 2, shoots self with gun lying on bed
Luis Marin, a Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, father was recently taken into custody after his two-year-old son shot himself with a gun that was lying close to him.
The 34-year-old man turned himself over to the police on Wednesday, September 25. He was subsequently arrested on charges of felony endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person for allegedly leaving a loaded firearm unattended on his bed, which his toddler used to shoot himself. The frightening incident happened at home in Pottstown on May 15.
Marin was purportedly “playing on phone” as the horrifying incident transpired, The Mirror US reported. In a subsequent investigation, authorities found out that the man went to a bedroom on the second floor before the shooting. He was there to collect a crossbody bag he was going to lend his nephew. Marin’s two handguns and ear protection, which he put on the bed, were usually kept in the same bag.
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Injuries sustained by the two-year-old toddler who shot himself
After the two-year-old shot himself, his father quickly grabbed him and ran outside while applying pressure to the wound. During that time, the toddler’s mother also arrived home and his parents rushed him to Pottstown Hospital. He eventually transferred to Lehigh Valley Hospital. The staff later told the police, who were called just before 5 pm, that the baby’s self-inflicted gunshot had resulted in broken ribs and a fractured scapula.
The harrowing development had also damaged his left lung. Other injuries included burnt skin, which was also stippled, suggesting the gun had been in close contact with his skin when he shot himself.
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The way forward: What awaits Pennsylvania father Luis Marin who left a gun on the bed
Despite the heart-rending injuries, the two-year-old baby has survived the gunshot, District Attorney Kevin Steele revealed in a statement. “This shooting is a frightening reminder to parents that children, even very young children, can and do find unsecured firearms in a home, and their inclination is to play with them,” he added.
Meanwhile, a preliminary hearing for the infant’s father has been scheduled for October 8, 2024. If found guilty, Marin could face five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. For the time being, Magisterial District Judge Jody L. Griffis set his bail at $50,000 unsecured and demanded that no firearms be held in Marin’s house.
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