💃 Friday, Friday. I have to go, it’s Friday.
🗞️ In today’s PoliticsPA Guide. Trump accuses Houlahan, Deluzio of sedition. Admin threatens to cut $75 million from PA over CDL scandal. When is a “game of skill” illegal? Massive cup of PA coffee.
🎶 Your morning pick-me-up. You can’t always get what you want. Rolling Stones
Weather in Pennsylvania
☁️City of Oil | Cloudy, 51
☁️Small town | Cloudy, 55
☁️ Kutztown | Cloudy, 53
Sports PA
🏈 Eagles (8-2) | Sun vs. Dallas
🏈 Steelers (6-4) | Sun in Chicago
🏈 Pitt (7-3) | I was at Georgia Tech
🏈 Penn State (4-6) | Saturday vs. Nebraska
🏈 Temple (5-5) | Sat vs. Tulane
⚽ Union | Sun vs. New York | MLS semifinals
⚽ Riverhounds | Saturday – Tulsa FC | USL Championship Final
🏀 Sixes (9-6) | Milwaukee 123-114 OT | Sun vs. Miami
🏒 Flyers (10-6-3) | Saint Louis 3-2 OT | Saturday vs. New Jersey
🏒 Penguins (10-5-4) | Friday vs. Minnesota | Saturday vs. Seattle
🔈 What we hear. “We called the Capitol Police and made threats from the President of the United States. You just read what he said about me and five other members of Congress. If that’s not a threat of violence, I don’t know what is. And even if for whatever reason he didn’t mean it or act on it, he just unleashed a lot of people who don’t necessarily feel good on people like me, my team, and my family. And that’s also a crime.” – Rep. Chrissy Houlahan
🎙️Voices of reason. In this Voices of Reason election special, we discuss how the 2025 elections play out in Pennsylvania and New Jersey reveal the political landscape for 2026 and beyond. We examine the key takeaways from PA and New Jersey’s 2025 results – what worked for the candidates and what didn’t, which issues resonated with voters, and what these trends signal for the year ahead.
📰 PoliticsPA Guide was developed by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser click here. Has this email been sent to you? Subscribe for free.
The most significant story
1. Trump accuses Houlahan, Deluzio and other Democratic Party veterans of ‘death penalty’ sedition
“During the morning tirade President Donald Trump charged six Democratic members of Congress with sedition, including Pennsylvania Representatives Chrissy Houlahan AND Chris Deluzioafter they used a video to call on members of the military and intelligence community to “refuse to issue illegal orders.”
Houlahan, who represents the 6th Congressional District, and Deluzio, who represents the 17th Congressional District, both served in the Navy. They took part in the recording published on Facebook on Tuesday along with Sense. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) i Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) i Representatives Jason Croin (D-Colo.) and Maggie Goodlander (D.N.H.), who urged members of the military and intelligence community to “refuse illegal orders.” | PoliticsPA
Elsewhere
Deluzio rejects “intimidation” after Trump said lawmakers should face death for “seditious behavior.” “Pennsylvania Democratic Congressman Chris Deluzio said he will not be intimidated after Trump said Democratic lawmakers who urged U.S. military and intelligence personnel to reject illegal orders should be arrested and even face death threats.” | Post-industrial
Trump’s tirade calling for Democrats to “death” backfires. “As Trump’s call to execute ‘seditious’ Democrats works against him, Republican Chrissy Houlahan, one of his targets, explains why she and other Democrats are warning soldiers against following illegal orders.” | New Republic
Report: Bresnahan sold shares of Medicaid providers before voting for cuts. “Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-08) is apparently at it again, making several stock trades while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. But this time, an NBC News report says the NEPA representative sold $130,000 worth of stock in four companies that oversee about 50 percent of all Medicaid managed care organizations just a week before he voted to cut Medicaid funding. | PoliticsPA
US House of Representatives rejects payout provision that bypasses Kelly and provides benefits to senators. “In the quietly passed piece of legislation that ended the federal government shutdown last week, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly was the odd man out.” | Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper
Country
2. Trump Admin Threatens to Cut $75 Million from Pennsylvania Over Suspected Terrorism CDL Scandal
“The Trump administration will withhold $75 million in federal funds from Pennsylvania if it does not clear up its CDL backlog after an Uzbek terrorism-suspected truck driver was caught in Kansas with a PennDOT driver’s license, it announced Thursday.
Governor Josh Shapiro he responded Wednesday, claiming it was the Trump administration’s fault Ahror Bozorov name remained in the federal database of noncitizens with work authorization, while DHS maintained that presence in the database did not constitute lawful immigration status.” | Fox News
Elsewhere
The governor’s office is fighting to block records related to a sexual harassment scandal involving a top aide. “Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration is fighting in two separate lawsuits to block the release of documents and other information that could shed more light on the sexual harassment allegations that forced the resignation of his top deputy, Mike Vereb, in September 2023.” | Wide + Freedom
A GOP senator is threatening subpoenas for more than $1 million in security upgrades at Shapiro’s private home. “Work on security upgrades at Shapiro’s private home in Montgomery County began this summer, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Spotlight PA — weeks before the governor sought an official ethics review on the appropriateness of using taxpayer money to pay for the upgrades, which include landscaping and electrical and gas work.” | PA reflector
The AP Senate quietly spent at least $133,000. dollars to resolve a discrimination complaint against Mastriano. “Pennsylvania taxpayers paid at least $133,513 in attorneys and settlements after a former Senate staffer filed a workplace harassment complaint against Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Adams County.” | PennLive
Around the Republic of Poland
3. Does the skill element make a slot machine something other than a gaming device?
“If a slot machine gives skillful players the opportunity to win every time, is it illegal under Pennsylvania Penal Code and Gambling Law?
That question was to be answered by the state Supreme Court on Thursday in two appeals filed by the Commonwealth Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Revenue. ” | Penn Capital Star
Elsewhere
Trump administration directs $1 billion to Three Mile Island, a closed nuclear plant in Pennsylvania that Shapiro defends. “The U.S. Department of Energy will loan $1 billion to help finance the reopening of Three Mile Island, a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania that has been renamed the Crane Clean Energy Center.” | Questioner from Philadelphia
In a acute response to the culture war, Democrats are sweeping school boards. “From Texas to Pennsylvania to Ohio, Democratic-backed candidates ran successful campaigns in some of the nation’s largest school systems and political battlegrounds. They emphasized test scores and bus safety over debates about what bathrooms transgender students use and banning books in school libraries.” | POLICY
Police are investigating a potential case of vandalism at the Delco GOP media headquarters. “On Wednesday morning, tenants responded to the Delaware County Republican Party headquarters located in Media and found that the front door of the building was shattered. The all-glass hallway with grab bars in the middle is cracked in the lower half with only the door on the right side being cracked. ” | PhillyDaily
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
- Military commanders must refuse illegal orders | Jon Duffy
- Trump Wanting Democrats Dead Isn’t His Craziest Thing This Week | Rex Huppke
- PA Republicans cannot afford to lose voters from rural areas and miniature towns | Matt Zupon
- Ala Stanford dealt with Covid-19. Will Trump be next? | Jenice Armstrong
- Labor and industry disagree, Congress takes no action | Jonathan D. Salant
- Compromise is not a weakness – it’s the only way government actually works | PennLive
- Michelle Obama is wrong: women can win | Lauren’s leader
- From Nelly Bly to Mary Bruce – women journalists don’t tiptoe | Lori Falce
1 item
5. Meet the giant Pennsylvania coffee pot that holds 800,000 cups
“Did you know that the world’s largest coffee pot is in Pennsylvania?
Situated on the Lincoln Highway in charming Bedford, this roadside gem is a must-stop for travel enthusiasts and coffee lovers alike.
The colossal carafe, built in 1927, is believed to be capable of holding 800,000 cups of coffee. This will wake you up!” | Amazing American television
Thank you for starting your weekend with us.
It’s time to start preparing for Thanksgiving. Enjoy.
