Gov. Josh Shapiro Says Pennsylvania Fracking Flip Flop ‘On the Vice President to Explain’ During Appearance as Harris Surrogate

Josh Shapiro

Governor Josh Shapiro on Sunday that Vice President Kamala Harris must be the one to explain why she no longer seeks a ban on fracking in Pennsylvania, but claimed he believes she is genuine in her policy reversal.

While Harris promised to ban fracking during her abortive presidential campaign in 2019, her campaign has insisted the Democrat will not attack fracking during her 2024 candidacy as she seeks to repeat President Joe Biden’s victory in Pennsylvania, and Shapiro told “Firing Line” host Margaret Hoover he is convinced by the vice president’s change of heart.

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Gov. Josh Shapiro Confirms Elon Musk Considering Investment in Pennsylvania After Billionaire Spoke at Trump Rally in Butler

Shapiro and Musk

Governor Josh Shapiro confirmed on Thursday that he spoke with Elon Musk about potential investments in Pennsylvania after the billionaire executive spoke at the rally held by former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Shapiro explained to NBC News that Musk was attending a Pittsburgh Steelers game with entrepreneur Thomas Tull, who called the governor to connect him with the world’s richest man.

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Anti-Defamation League Slams Kamala Harris Campaign for Failing to Address ‘Antisemitic Smear Campaign Against’ Gov. Josh Shapiro

Kamala Harris, Josh Shapiro

The president of the controversial Anti-Defamation League (ADL) condemned Vice President Kamala Harris, her presidential campaign, and the White House for failing to address antisemitism allegedly hurled toward Governor Josh Shapiro, who was on the short-list to be her vice presidential running mate, but was eventually passed over in favor of Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz.

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt told the New York Post on Saturday it was “shameful” for President Joe Biden, Harris nor her campaign to fail to address the “antisemitic slander campaign against Governor Shapiro.”

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University of Pennsylvania Temporarily Bans Encampments

UPenn Students participating in a pro-Palestinian protest

In response to pro-Palestine unrest on campus last semester, the University of Pennsylvania has temporarily banned encampments and overnight demonstrations for the 2024-2025 school year.

“To ensure the safety of the Penn community and to protect the health and property of individuals, encampments and overnight demonstrations are not permitted in any University location, regardless of space (indoor or outdoor),” the university announced in its policy book’s section entitled Temporary Standards and Procedures for Campus Events and Demonstrations section.

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Gov. Josh Shapiro Denies Antisemitism Played Role After Being Skipped by Harris Campaign in VP Search

Josh Shapiro

Governor Josh Shapiro on Thursday denied that antisemitism played a role in the decision by Vice President Kamala Harris to skip over him in favor of Governor Tim Walz in her bid to find a running mate for the 2024 presidential election.

Shapiro made the remarks to German-owned Politico from the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois, where he delivered a speech on Wednesday.

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Joe Biden to Campaign for Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania Despite Disapproval from Majority of Voters

Kamala Harris

President Joe Biden confirmed in an interview broadcast Sunday that he will campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania, even as nearly 60 percent of voters in the commonwealth disapprove of his performance in the White House.

The 81-year-old president confirmed on CBS Sunday Morning Americans will see him campaigning for Harris, beginning with a tour of Pennsylvania with Governor Josh Shapiro, who was controversially skipped over by the Harris campaign in favor of Governor Tim Walz.

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Fetterman Reportedly Warns Harris Campaign Against Picking Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro as VP over ‘Excessive’ Ambitions

Senator John Fetterman

U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) on Saturday reportedly warned the presidential campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris that Governor Josh Shapiro holds “excessive” political ambitions.

Fetterman contacted the Harris campaign to provide information about Shapiro as the vice president interviewed the short list of contestants to become complete the Democratic presidential ticket ahead, which reportedly includes the first-term governor, according to German-owned Politico, which reported, “the senator believes that Shapiro is excessively focused on his own personal ambitions.”

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Nearly 50 Progressive Democrats Label Gov. Josh Shapiro an ‘Unnecessary Obstacle’ for Kamala Harris Presidential Campaign

Josh Shapiro

Nearly 50 progressive Democrats signed a letter urging Vice President Kamala Harris not to select Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to complete her presidential ticket, claiming he will be an “unnecessary obstacle” in her effort to hold the White House against former President Donald Trump in November.

Led by the chair and former chair of the California Democratic Party Progressive Caucus, the letter includes a total of 47 names from progressive groups affiliated with the Democrats across the country.

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Kamala Harris Reportedly to Announce VP in Philadelphia Speech amid Speculation over Gov. Josh Shapiro

Josh Shapiro and Kamala Harris

Campaign spokesmen for Vice President Kamala Harris reportedly confirmed to media outlets Wednesday that the candidate intends to share a Philadelphia stage with her vice presidential nominee on Tuesday.

The Harris campaign’s reported plan for Harris to announce her vice presidential nominee on Tuesday comes as Governor Josh Shapiro, who is serving his first term as Pennsylvania’s governor, is reportedly among the top names considered by Harris to complete her ticket ahead of the Democratic Party’s convention in August.

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Pennsylvania 2024 Election Results Could be Delayed by Mail-in Ballots After Democrats Refused to Allow Voter ID

Mail In Ballot

Experts claimed in an article published Saturday by The Washington Post that the results of the 2024 elections in Pennsylvania could be delayed because state lawmakers did not pass bills that would allow election workers to begin processing mail-in ballots prior to Election Day.

Because Pennsylvania does not allow its election workers to pre-canvass mail-in votes, which is the process of counting and validating the authenticity of the ballots, experts claim workers could need significant time after Election Day to determine which presidential candidate will carry the Keystone state’s Electoral College votes.

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Pennsylvania Teachers Union Illegally Sent Nearly $1.5 Million to Possible Democrat VP Josh Shapiro, Complaints Claim

Josh Shapiro

Three complaints filed on Wednesday by the Freedom Foundation allege almost $1.5 million in Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) money, raised from teachers’ union dues, was given to the 2022 political campaign of Governor Josh Shapiro.

The Freedom Foundation revealed on Thursday it filed complaints which allege PSEA made two contributions, totaling about $1.475 million, that were then transferred through an outside organization before reaching the Shapiro for Pennsylvania campaign committee.

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Kamala Harris Reportedly Considers Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona U.S. Senator Mark Kelly for Vice President

Josh Shapiro and Mark Kelly

Vice President Kamala Harris is reportedly considering either Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro or U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) of Arizona to serve as the Democratic Party’s nominee for vice president, a Monday report revealed.

After Harris claimed to obtain the support of the required the number of delegates to be declared the party’s nominee, ABC News reported on Tuesday that Kelly and Shapiro are already the “leading VP candidates” under consideration.

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Alternate Democratic Presidential Candidates Perform Better than Biden, New Polling Data Shows

Mark Kelly, Wes Moore, Josh Shapiro, and Gretchen Whitmer in front of the White House (composite image)

The strongest potential Democratic presidential candidates in the poll were Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md., Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pa. and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Mich.

Alternate Democratic presidential candidates perform better than President Biden against former President Trump, according to new polling from BlueLabs Analytics of 15,000 voters in seven swing states.

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Pennsylvania Progressives Resolute in Palestinian Support

Pro Palestine Protest

Recent critical remarks from top-ranking state officials, including Gov. Josh Shapiro, have not deterred Palestinian support among progressive lawmakers and advocacy groups in Pennsylvania.

Earlier this month, Sens. Kristin Phillips-Hill, R-Jacobus, and Steven Santarsiero, D-Doylestown, announced a bill to prevent state-funded institutions from divesting from Israel. The legislation explicitly names schools like Penn and Pitt whose encampments made headlines across the globe.

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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro Bans ‘Scandalous’ Conduct amid Israel-Hamas Debate, Months After Admin’s Sexual Harassment Settlement

Josh Shapiro

Governor Josh Shapiro introduced updates on May 8 to his administration’s code of conduct that prohibits “scandalous or disgraceful” acts from state employees, a Tuesday Spotlight PA report revealed.

The report noted that Shapiro quietly signed an executive order that changed his administration’s code of conduct for all state employees amid intense public debate over the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro Used Private Plane for over 100 Trips at Taxpayer Expense in 2023

Pennsylvania Gov Josh Shapiro

Governor Josh Shapiro authorized more than 100 flights on the private airplane owned by the State of Pennsylvania in 2023, exceeding the controversial amount of air travel by his predecessor, a Spotlight Pennsylvania report revealed on Tuesday.

The state-owned Beechcraft King Air 350i, which generally sells for between $4.3 million and $6.7 million, was used for 113 separate trips in 2023. According to Spotlight Pennsylvania, the flight time amounted to more than 200 hours and cost the state’s taxpayers $410,000.

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Commentary: Voters Aren’t Buying What Shapiro Is Selling

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro

As inflation persists, Pennsylvania voters are rejecting increased government spending, according to new polling data released by the Commonwealth Foundation.

Inflation and the rising cost of living remain Pennsylvanians’ chief concerns. With more than two-thirds of voters saying that high prices are eating away at their standard of living, it’s no wonder that a plurality reports their family is worse off than two years ago.

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Pennsylvania Latest State to Embrace Automatic Voter Registration, Triggers New Integrity Fears

Gov Josh Shapiro

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) has implemented automatic voter registration, triggering new legal and election integrity concerns over voter roll maintenance as nearly half of U.S. states now follow such a policy.

Shapiro announced last Tuesday that the commonwealth would implement automatic voter registration, which means that residents obtaining state ID cards and driver’s licenses at Department of Transportation (PennDOT) centers will be automatically registered to vote.

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Many Pennsylvanians Uncertain About State Elected Officials: Poll

New survey results suggest many residents don’t know much about elected leaders in Pennsylvania.

Aside from Gov. Josh Shapiro, most respondents said they either “never heard of” or were “unsure” about the performance of certain administration officials and legislative leaders — including Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, Democratic House Speaker Joanna McClinton, and Republican Senate President Kim Ward.

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Shapiro Touts Broadband Expansion as Industry Worries Over Regulatory Hurdles

Gov. Josh Shapiro touted federal money for broadband expansion in western Pennsylvania on Friday, arguing for bipartisanship and efficient governance.

“I wanted to be here today because Beaver County’s got its act together,” Shapiro said. “Folks want people in government — regardless of what party they’re in — to find ways to work together, to come together and actually solve problems, and to get stuff done.”

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Virginia’s Gov. Youngkin Latest to Scrap College Degree Requirement for Most State Jobs

Virginia axed bachelor’s degree requirements for 90 percent of state jobs this week, following a precedent adopted by several states with bipartisan support over the last year.

“Governor Glenn Youngkin announced today a landmark change in how state agencies will recruit and compete for talent by eliminating degree requirements, preferences or both for almost 90% of state classified positions,” according to a Tuesday news release from the governor’s office.

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Shapiro Takes Property Tax and Rent Rebate Plan on the Road

Gov. Josh Shapiro visited Erie recently to highlight his plan to grow the state’s property tax and rent rebate program for the first time in nearly two decades.

It’s the most recent stop in an unofficial statewide budget tour touting many of the administration’s key spending proposals meant to build the workforce and, by extension, a bank account flush enough to keep Pennsylvania from falling off a “demographic cliff.” 

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Pennsylvania Voters Spurn ‘Scranton Joe’ in Favor of Trump, DeSantis, Poll Shows

More Pennsylvania voters want former President Donald Trump or Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to run for President than President Joe Biden, despite the fact he has the affectionate nickname “Scranton Joe” after his birth town in the state, according to a new poll.

The Commonwealth Foundation, a group promoting free markets in Pennsylvania, found in a survey last week that 34 percent of registered voters in the state want Trump to run for President in 2024, followed by 26 percent who want DeSantis to run. Biden, however, earned 24 percent in the poll that allowed respondents to select all candidates that they want to see run. Close behind Biden is Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro at 20 percent. Out of the four top potential candidates, only Trump has formally declared his presidential campaign for 2024.

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Commentary: Governor Shapiro’s First Budget Falls Short

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s first state budget proposal perpetuates unsustainable spending and fails to address the most promising ideas he put forward during his campaign. For starters, his budget calls for $45.9 billion in ongoing General Fund spending – but the state has only $43 billion in net revenues, so the governor is positioning us for a nearly $3 billion annual deficit.

Spending that exceeds revenue is unsustainable and fiscally irresponsible for individuals, businesses, and certainly for government.

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Gov Shapiro, Norfolk Southern Broker $7.4 Million Aid Deal

Norfolk Southern agreed this week to reimburse first responders, county relief funds and state agencies nearly $7.4 million in the wake of the February 3 train derailment near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border.

Gov. Josh Shapiro said Monday he secured a deal with Alan Shaw, the railroad’s chief executive officer, to cover all of the costs the state incurred responding to the accident, as well as establishing a $1 million community relief fund in Beaver and Lawrence counties for impacted residents and businesses.

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Woke ESG Management Fund BlackRock Owns 6 Percent of Norfolk Southern, Whose Train Derailed in Ohio

Black Rock owns more than 6 percent of Norfolk Southern Railway, the huge railway company whose train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio on February 3, causing what many are describing as an ecological and health disaster for residents of Ohio and nearby Pennsylvania.

Fintel.io reports that as of February 16, 2023, Black Rock owns 6.8 percent of Norfolk Southern Railway.

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Pennsylvania Governor Orders Refunds Licensing, Permitting Fees for Slow State Processing

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Tuesday the state will refund residents every time it delays processing applications for occupational licenses, certifications and permits.

“Under my administration, Pennsylvanians will have certainty,” he said. “They will know how long it will take for agencies to respond, and if an agency doesn’t live up to that promise, they deserve their money back.”

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