Editorial Criticizes Pat Meehan

By TOM CORBETT FOR GOVERNOR

As you may have heard, Pat Meehan’s campaign for Governor recently started to attack Tom Corbett.  Tom was certainly disappointed with the direction the Meehan campaign has chosen to take, as well as the significant inaccuracies of their attack.  Evidently, Tom is not alone.  We thought you might want to read an editorial column that appeared in Sunday’s Pittsburgh Tribune-Review which harshly criticizes Pat Meehan for his apparent attempt at…

Shapiro to re-introduce terror-free investing legislation

By THE OFFICE OF STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOSH SHAPIRO

HARRISBURG, April 21 – State Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, today held a press conference on his proposed terror-free investing legislation, which would prohibit Pennsylvania’s two pension funds, PSERS and SERS, and the Treasury from investing in foreign companies with significant business activities in Iran and Sudan. Shapiro also today circulated a co-sponsorship memo to his colleagues to sign on as co-sponsors of his legislation.

Shapiro has been…

Recent Developments

Before I could put up my first projections for 2010 and summarize the current field of candidates, State Representative William “Bill” Kurtz (D-Allegheny) announced his candidacy for Senate. A former Steel plant manager from the western side of Pennsylvania, Kurtz seems to have a pro-gun record, a pro-environmental record, and a not-so-bad NFIB Corporate rating considering he is a Democrat (60%). Seems like a moderate challenger, which could an interesting match-up in November vs. Arlen…

Mr. John Galt I presume?

“We’re in a hypercapitalistic society. No one complains when Julia Roberts pulls down $25 million per movie or A-Rod has a $300 million guarantee. We have ex-presidents who cash in on their presidencies. Our whole moral compass has shifted about what’s acceptable or not acceptable. Honestly, you can pick on Wall Street all you want, I don’t think it’s fair. It’s fair to say you ran your companies into the ground, your risk management is…

Remember this?

So I was on the phone this morning with Joe Torsella, Democratic candidate for Senate, and as a big Stephen Colbert fan, I couldn’t help but ask about his hilarious appearance on the show last year, when he was still head of the National Constitution Center. It’s a great bit, during which Colbert continually tries to touch the precious artifacts that Joe continually tells him not to. Naturally, even if you’ve got a great sense…

MontCo GOP feud could spill into Lt. Gov. race

BLUE BELL—For more than a year, Montgomery County’s Republican Commissioners have been at each other’s throats politically. Commissioners Jim Matthews and Bruce Castor were elected by county voters in late 2007, promising the GOP control over county policy even as is struggled to hold onto voters. But Matthews infuriated Republicans by shunning Castor, instead forming a power-sharing agreement with Democratic Commissioner Joe Hoeffel. This has effectively locked Castor out of power, and embroiled the county GOP in bitter dispute.

Soon, that toxic climate—and the vitriol Matthews and Castor regularly hurl at each other—could move to a statewide stage, with both Commissioners interested in the party’s nomination for Lieutenant Governor.

Torsella building high-profile Senate team

PHILADELPHIA—Already well on his way to building a considerable campaign war chest, Democratic Senate candidate Joe Torsella is also putting together a political team that could prove difficult for other candidates to match.

His campaign has hired The Campaign Group to handle media strategy. The company is run in part by Neil Oxman, a longtime Democratic political consultant who has worked extensively with Gov. Ed Rendell dating back to his days as Philadelphia Mayor, and more recently helped elect Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. Finance Director Michelle Singer has held the same job under Rendell. Campaign coordinator Rebecca McNichols was Senator Bob Casey’s political director during his successful election in 2006. Communications director Mark Nevins has worked for the presidential campaigns of U.S. Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Hillary Clinton (D-NY). And the campaign expects to announce the hiring on an internal pollster soon.

“I think we are putting together the makings of a terrific team here,” Torsella told pa2010.com in a phone interview today.

Torsella and state Representative Bill Kortz (D-Allegheny) are the only two Democrats who have declared their intention to run. State Representative Josh Shapiro (D-Montgomgery) is also considering the race.

Toomey fires back on Club for Growth letter

Pat Toomey’s Senate campaign this afternoon responded to a letter Arlen Specter’s campaign released from Pa. Club for Growth founder Bill Parker that

Life in law school…

Alas, finals are coming at Penn Law. I’m busy being studious, but will try and post later in the week.

In the meantime, check out this very long, left-of-center piece that Arlen Specter wrote for The New York Review of Books.

At least at first glance, it doesn’t seem like the best way to woo the conservative base.

But read it tell me what you think.

Tom Ferrick is writing for us!

OK, so I have to gush here for just a second.

Tom Ferrick is one of my idols. The longtime reporter and columnist at The Philadelphia Inquirer has a nose for news and an intellect that, frankly, puts other political reporters to shame, including yours truly.

I’m too young to really remember him as a reporter, but for years his columns were the highlight of The Inquirer for me. I remember reading some columns he wrote about the size of local government that left me thinking: “Gee, how come nobody else talks about this?”

In other words, he’s the man. And now he’s writing for pa2010.com! I’m proud to say we just published his first column—which is of course excellent—and there will be more in the months to come.

Please join me in thanking Tom for his contribution to pa2010.com. You can leave the fawning and hyperventilating to me if you’re not comfortable with that.