Friday PA Capitol & COVID NewsClips 1.22.21

House returns to voting session Jan. 25, 26, 27

Senate returns to voting session Jan. 25, 26, 27

Spotlight PA: Top PA Election Official Calls For End To ‘Lies’ As Republicans Launch 2020 Election Hearings

Deb Erdley: PA Secretary Of State Implores Republican Lawmakers To ‘Stop The Lies’ About The Election

Ford Turner: PA Election Bitterness On Full Display As House Members Begin Deep Dive Into How Process Works

Jan Murphy: House Panel Begins Look Back At 2020 Elections To See What Changes Need Made

PLS Reporter: 2020 Election Isn’t Over Yet: House Committee Holds First In Months-Long Series Of Hearings To Review Election

In First Of 14 Hearings, Republican House Members Question Boockvar About Election Guidance

PA Secretary Of State Testifies Before House On Nov. Election: ‘Assault On Facts Must End’

PA Secretary Of State Calls For End To Lies About 2020 Election

PA Spotlight: Senate Republicans Spent Over $1.04 Million In Taxpayer Money On Lawsuits To Overturn 2020 Election Results

ALEC Names Republican PA Sen. Dush Legislator Of The Year Who Worked To Overturn PA Election, Compared Gov. Wolf To Nazis 

Editorial: Mail-In Vote Counting Standards Needed

AP: Most PA Republicans Backed Trump To Then End, And Still Do, Even After Assault On U.S. Capitol

Luzerne County Election Director Job Still Vacant, Search On Hold For Now

Editorial: Use Momentum From Election For Campaign Finance Reform

The Economist: PA Republicans Want To Change PA Constitution: Unhappy With Election Returns, Court Decisions And The Governor  [PA Republicans Make International News]

TODAY 9:00: WITF Smart Talk: Electing State Appeals Court Judges By District

House Legislative Black Caucus Chairs Condemn Judicial Gerrymandering Bill To Elect State Appeals Court Judges By District 

House Republicans To Hold Caucus Election Monday For Caucus Chairman To Replace Late Rep. Reese

Independent Fiscal Office: State’s Finances Improve, Should End FY 2020-21 With $1.5 Billion Balance, Thanks To Federal COVID Aid

Copy Of Independent Fiscal Office 5-Year Economic And Budget Outlook

Advocates Tell State Lawmakers Increase In Minimum Wage Overdue

Feds Charge PA Banking Secretary’s Stepson In Cyberstalking Case

Dept. Of Human Services Releases Racial Equity Report, Addressing Inequity And Anti-Racism Across Programs, Services

PA Dept. Of Human Services Vows To Take Anti-Racist Approach

Retired Philly Cops Probing For DA’s Soft Spots As He Seeks Reelection

Op-Ed: It’s Time To Treat Gun Violence Like The Public Health Emergency It Is

Spotlight PA: Meet Pennsylvania’s New Public Records Czar

Bernard Smalley To Head Politically Connected Charity That Runs Girard College

Erie County Community College Interim President ‘Passionately Committed’

Erie-Area Employers Have Jobs They Can’t Fill

Biden Inauguration

John Baer: What Political Change Could Look Like Under Biden: An End To ‘This Uncivil War’?

Editorial: Biden’s Call For Unity Is Welcome, But That Won’t Be Easy

National/International

Pittsburgh Mayor Among City Mayors Asking New Administration For Financial Relief

AG Shapiro: Federal Stimulus Payments Delayed For Those Who Used Tax Preparation Companies

Civil Justice

PA Law Enforcement Citizen Advisory Commission Holds First Public Meeting

Pittsburgh Mayor Tweets Radical Right And Radical Left Are Joining To Oppose Him

PA’s Role In The Assault On U.S. Capitol

AP: Most PA Republicans Backed Trump To Then End, And Still Do, Even After Assault On U.S. Capitol

The Economist: PA Republicans What To Change PA Constitution: Unhappy With Election Returns, Court Decisions And The Governor  [PA Republicans Make International News]

Spotlight PA: Senate Republicans Spent Over $1.04 Million In Taxpayer Money On Lawsuit To Overturn 2020 Election Results

ALEC Names Republican PA Sen. Dush Legislator Of The Year Who Worked To Overturn PA Election, Comparted Gov. Wolf To Nazis 

AP: Woman Accused Of Helping Steal Pelosi Laptop During Assault On U.S. Capitol Released Into Her Mother’s Custody

Harrisburg Woman Accused Of Stealing Pelosi’s Laptop Blames Her Ex-Boyfriend For ‘Overstated’ Accusations

Party Officials Shaken After Gunman Targets Montgomery County Democratic Committee Office

Vandals Damage Biden, Black Lives Matter Signs In Greensburg

Allegheny County Judge Apologizes For Photo With Husband Dressed As U.S. Capitol Rioter

Coronavirus

Dept. Of Health Reports 193 Additional Deaths Due To COVID; 5,338 New Cases-- 1.22.21

Gov. Wolf To Nominate Alison Beam [Deputy Chief Of Staff To Gov.] Secretary Of Health, Dr. Wendy Braund As Interim Acting Physician General

Sen. Tomlinson (R-Bucks) Tests Positive For COVID [16th Lawmaker]

Dept. Of Health Reports 260 Additional Deaths Due To COVID; Total Deaths Top 20,128; 5,664 New Cases-- 1.21.21

AP: PA Passes 20,000 Deaths From COVID

PA Surpasses 20,000 COVID Deaths, Doubling Its Toll In Less Than 2 Months

COVID Spread May Be Easing As State Deaths Surpass 20,000

Allegheny County Reports 425 New COVID Cases, 4 More Deaths

30-Year-Old Lehigh County Corrections Officer Dies Of COVID Complications, Union Says

AP: PA Hospitals: Not Enough Vaccine To Go Around

PennLive: Rush On COVID Vaccinations Leads To Dead Ends, Few Shots, Frustration Across PA

Saint Vincent Hospital In Erie Halts COVID Vaccine Scheduling, No Doses

NE PA Health Care Facilities Adapting To New COVID Vaccine Guidelines

UPMC COVID Vaccination Policy Scrutinized At PA House Hearing

Lackawanna County Teachers Begin Receiving COVID Vaccines

Bucks, Montgomery Officials: Without Quicker Vaccine Supply, It Could Take A Year To Vaccinate First Phase

Some Grocers Will Pay Workers To Get COVID Vaccine

Lancaster Countians More Bullish On Future As COVID Vaccinations Begin

Editorial: Raising Expectations For COVID Vaccinations But Not Delivering

WESA: UPMC Western Psych Staff Concerned About COVID Policies

Chester County To Overhaul Purchasing After Spending Millions On Faulty COVID Testing Program

COVID Has More People Seeking Help For Addition, Mental Health, But Treatment Centers Struggle With Outbreaks

Get Philly’s Kids Back In Classrooms As Soon As Possible, Mayor, City Council Tell School District

Philly Teachers Union Wants All Staff Vaccinated Before Students Return To School

South Whitehall Approves COVID Relief Money For Small Businesses After Months Of Paralysis

DCED Highlights PPE Shield That Protects Against COVID From PA Company

6 PA City Mayors Join Letter Urging Congress To Pass Biden’s COVID Relief Plan

National/International

AP: Biden Signs Burst Of COVID Orders, Vows ‘Help Is On The Way’

The Guardian: Biden Warns COVID Will Get Worse Before It Gets Better As He Unveils Strategy

The Hill: Biden Orders Agencies To Use Defense Production Act To Increase Vaccine, Testing Supplies

Editorial: National COVID Strategy Long Overdue

The Hill: Dr. Fauci Says It’s ‘Liberating’ Working Under Biden Where You Can Talk About The Science

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FairDistrictsPA: Fix Our Broken Redistricting Process 

[Posted: January 22, 2021]