😎 Friday, Friday. Enjoy the weekend, which promises to be great weather.
Weather in Pennsylvania
☀️Oakmont | Sunny, 74
☀️ Lancaster | Sunny, 75
☀️Ardmore | Sunny, 75
Sports PA
⚾ Phillies (39-18) | Friday-Sunday vs. St. Louis
⚾ Pirates (26-30) | Friday-Sunday vs. Toronto
⚽ Union (4-7-4) | Saturday vs. Montreal
⛳US Women Open | Friday-Sunday in Lancaster
👂 What we hear. “The real verdict will be delivered by the people on November 5.” – Donald Trump
🗞️ Pennsylvania. The ultimate swing state. Where can you find the latest information on political events in the Keystone State? Sign up for the PoliticsPA Guide. We’ll deliver all the latest headlines in an easy-to-read format every weekday at 8:00. And it’s free. Add your name to the list and sign up now.
The best story
1. Convicted in every way
“Donald Trump The 34-crime conviction marks the end of the former president’s historic trial for hiding money, but the fight in the case is far from over.
Now comes the verdict and the possibility of prison time. Long appeal process. “All the while, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee still has to deal with three more criminal cases and a campaign that could take him back to the White House.” (AP)
Related
What Donald Trump’s conviction means for his chances in November. “Polls have shown that a conviction could reduce some support for Trump, who could still run for president as a convicted felon, in his November rematch with President Joe Biden.” (Questioner from Philadelphia)
Trump convicted of 34 crimes. AP Lawmakers and Candidates Respond. “Pennsylvania Speaks Out on Felony Conviction in New York Trump Quiet Money Case.” (PoliticsPA)
Bidenworld has its eyes on November after Trump’s verdict. “According to information obtained by NOTUS, the campaign encouraged surrogates to focus on the ballot box and Donald Trump’s record.” (known)
Pittsburgh-area Republicans and politicians say the conviction improves Trump’s re-election chances. “Many Republicans believe the trial was politicized and the allegations unfair. Even some who disagree say Trump benefits from free publicity.” (Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper)
Country
2. Will Dem McClelland’s opposition to school choice win her the treasurer position?
“Candidate for Democratic state treasurer Erin McClelland she wants voters to know she is “aggressive on school vouchers” and has made her opposition to parental choice in education a centerpiece of her campaign.
“If the coupons are handed over, the treasurer writes them out. And I can assure you that if this passes, we will go to court and we will fight on constitutional grounds, and I will write a subpoena when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court tells me I have no choice,” McClelland said in a recent interview with abc27.
The debate over how much control Pennsylvania parents should have over their children’s education has been part of state politics for decades. “But such unyielding opposition among statewide candidates is rare.” (DV Journal)
Related
How does this guy get MAGA support? “A confluence of factors and unique political talents explain Gov. Josh Shapiro’s astonishing popularity in the polls — even among those with whom he disagrees.” (Citizen of Philadelphia)
From red tape to green light: Pennsylvania leaders push for tax reform for startups. “Pennsylvania is preparing to abandon its business ‘startup penalty’ and introduce a welcome mat for new businesses.” (Liv DeMarco)
Cook Political Report: Trump Holds Slim Lead Over Biden; Casey leads McCormick, 49-41. “While President Joe Biden’s poll numbers in Pennsylvania remain unimpressive, Sen. Bob Casey is not suffering the same fate, according to ‘The Swing State Project,’ a collaboration between The Cook Political Report and two pollsters, the Benenson Group Strategic Group (BSG) and GS Strategic Group.” (PoliticsPA)
Pro-McCormick Super PAC sets aside $30 million for advertising time in the state. “More money is flowing into the Pennsylvania Senate race, and the lucky recipient is Republican Dave McCormick.” (PoliticsPA)
4 Things We Learned from Senator John Fetterman’s Spring Media Attack. “dream. John Fetterman is accustomed to a lot of media coverage, but even by his standards, the last few weeks have seemed like a lot.” (Questioner Clout)
Forward Party pushes back on criticism of Pennsylvania’s support. “Despite the recent cancellation of the press conference announcing the Forward Party’s latest endorsement, officials remain optimistic about achieving their goals in Pennsylvania.” (Central Square)
Around the Republic of Poland
3. Trump’s conviction causes pause among some Republicans in key PA county
“Bronwen Browna registered Republican in a belligerent Pennsylvania county, was willing to vote for him Donald Trump again in November, despite long-standing reservations about its nature. His verdict handed down by a New York jury made her think.
“He was found guilty of all 34 charges. Do I want to go with it? Probably not,” the 72-year-old former opera singer told Reuters minutes after Trump became the first former US president to be convicted of a crime. (Reuters)
Related
“They”: Swing State voters react to Donald Trump’s guilty verdict. “Wisconsin resident Damon Anderson has declared himself “speechless.” Nevada retiree Doug Goodman said the justice system is working as intended. Pennsylvania voter Charles Floray insisted he was unfazed by the trial.” (USA today)
As the GOP presses culture war issues during the election, the LGBTQ community is rallying. “Nearly three-quarters of LGBTQ respondents said they felt the current political discourse had undermined their emotional or mental well-being; almost half said they could link it to a personal experience of harassment or abuse.” (WESA policy)
10 ‘Hate Squad’ Republican Lawmakers Targeted by Pro-LGBTQ+ PAC. “Pennsylvania Republican Reps. Valerie Gaydos and Joe Emrick are also on the list. Gaydos sponsored a ban on transgender girls playing sports, and Emrick voted to ban transgender girls and women from participating in school sports.” (Advocate)
Philadelphia City Council members abandon plan to push for pay or business tax cuts, securing victory for Mayor Parker. “Philadelphia’s next budget will include no wage rate or business tax cuts, delivering a political victory for first-year Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and answering one of the more important open questions as budget negotiations unfold.” (Questioner from Philadelphia)
Editorial
4. What do you mean
1 item
5. Floridian Wins Bee in “Spell-Off”
“The winner of this year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee has been crowned.
Vomit catfishA 12-year-old from Florida beat the competition on Thursday by writing “abseil,” a word used to describe rappelling down a vertical surface with a rope attached to his body.
Soma spelled 29 of 30 words correctly in Scripps’ second-ever spelling bee, in which contestants have 90 seconds to spell as many words given to them as possible. (NPR)
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