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📰 PA Policy Playbook Headlines. Democrats have a 10-point lead over Republicans ahead of midterm elections: poll. Report: Pennsylvania’s richest billionaire profits from school voucher program. 6abc caught reviewing Disney TV licenses. Taylor Swift registers her voice and likeness as a trademark
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Sports PA
⚾ Pirates (16-15) | Saint Louis 7-11 | Wednesday vs. St. Louis
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📅 What’s happening today. The House meets at 11:00.
🔈 What we hear. Congressman Rob Bresnahan announced today that it has received the endorsement of Boilermakers Local Lodge No. 13, representing the skilled tradespeople who build and maintain critical infrastructure that powers communities throughout Pennsylvania and the rest of the country.
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The most significant story
1. Democrats have a 10-point lead over Republicans heading into the midterm elections: poll
“Democrats have a 10-point lead over Republicans in overall congressional votes, according to the latest in a series of polls, and the party is in a mighty position heading into November’s midterm elections.
In a three-day Emerson College Polling poll conducted last weekend, 50 percent of likely voters said they would support an average Democratic candidate for Congress, and 40 percent said they would prefer an average Republican in November. Another 10 percent say they are not sure.
“Democrats’ strength comes from growing support among Latino voters, women and independents.” Spencer Kimballexecutive director of Emerson College Polling, said.” | Hill
Elsewhere
PA-01: ‘A seat we must win’: Bucks County Democrats Bob Harvie and Lucia Simonelli fight ahead of primary to challenge Fitzpatrick. “Two Democrats seeking to unseat U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick later this year put their proposals before voters ahead of their party’s primary, which was scheduled to take place in just three weeks.” | Questioner from Philadelphia
PA-03: Stanford suggests Congress could enforce immigration laws if ICE is abolished. “Should Congress be responsible for enforcing immigration laws? Physician Ala Stanford, a first-time candidate running to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans in Congress, seemed to suggest as much in an interview with NBC10 that aired Friday and that drew attention to her stance on immigration in the days that followed.” | Questioner from Philadelphia
PA-07 Democrats delve into NATO, foreign aid and war. “Lehigh Valley Public Media asked former federal prosecutor Ryan Crosswell, former Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure and energy engineer Carol Obando-Derstine to weigh in on the Iran conflict and how Congress should adapt to the changing geopolitical climate.” | LehighValley News
Report sexual misconduct? It’s not that plain, workers say. “Nearly a decade after workplace harassment laws changed on Capitol Hill, employees don’t feel completely comfortable reporting misconduct — that is, if they even know where to turn, as multiple lawmakers and advisers told Roll Call.” | Roll call
Country
2. Report: Pennsylvania’s richest billionaire profits from school voucher program
“Organizations and private entities associated with Jeffrey YassPennsylvania’s richest billionaire and Republican Party megadonor are the top recipients of tax breaks related to the commonwealth’s two major school voucher programs, according to a new report from the Action Center on Race and the Economy (ACRE) and the LittleSis Public Accountability Initiative. Key
Elsewhere
Pennsylvania Court Grants Public Access to Voting Data in 2020 Election Dispute.. (*10*) requested by an election researcher hired last year by the Trump administration.” | AP
Hearings break out after Democratic chairman tries to bypass GOP transgender sports bills: ‘They’re petrified’. “A Pennsylvania hearing on transgender sports legislation erupted into chaos on Monday as Republicans accused Democrats of trying to bypass votes on two related bills.” | Fox News
The House of Representatives is introducing a bill to ban whites-only housing and add protections for LGBTQ people. “The Pennsylvania House has made another attempt to add LGBTQ protections to state antidiscrimination law — this time by including that language in a bill that was otherwise written to prohibit segregationists from building whites-only housing estates.” | PennLive
Around the Republic of Poland
3. 6abc in the midst of a uncommon review of Disney’s TV licenses by the Trump administration
“The Trump administration is launching an early review of Disney’s television licenses, which includes 6abc (WPVI) in Philadelphia.
The Federal Communications Commission notified Disney of the review on Tuesday, according to FCC documents. The ruling came after President Donald Trump called out the ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel be fired because of a joke he told about the first lady Thursday night Melania Trump” | Questioner from Philadelphia
Elsewhere
Bilal is asking the City Council to raise its budget by 54%, more than any other city agency. “Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal says chronic understaffing and other problems in her department could be solved with $19.3 million in new funding.” | Questioner from Philadelphia
Nicholas, Timko Present candidates for the GOP Forum. “In the 12th Legislative District, Ethan Nicholas and Scott Timko present themselves as solidly conservative and proud Republicans, although they have some nuance in their approach to politics.” | Butler the Eagle
Report: Philadelphia’s downtown is doing great despite concerns about taxes, transportation and homelessness. “Like its famous cheesesteaks, downtown Philadelphia has a strong reputation — at least that’s what the Center City district says in its annual report released Wednesday morning.” | City and state
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
1 item
5. Taylor Swift trademarks her voice and likeness, apparently to protect against misuse of artificial intelligence
“Taylor Swift has taken a up-to-date legal step, apparently aimed at protecting her identity in the age of artificial intelligence – following in the actor’s footsteps Matthew McConaughey.
On Friday, April 24, Swift filed three trademark applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Two refer to the audio trademarks covering her voice: one is “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” and the other is “Hey, it’s Taylor.”
The third trademark is a visual trademark covering “an image of Taylor Swift holding a pink guitar with a black strap and wearing a multi-colored iridescent bodysuit with silver shoes. She stands on a pink stage in front of a multi-colored microphone with purple lights in the background.” | Diversity
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