Heres hoping more governors will follow Governor Shapiros lead. Now some Democrats see Shapiros success as a road map for the party nationally, and they name him among a new generation of young governors who could one day run for president. WHYY + Billy Penn host 100th Mayor: Restoring Safety Forum | Watch live, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro arrives at a news conference in Philadelphia, Tuesday, May 14, 2019. The Pennsylvania Democratic Party unanimously voted to endorse Shapiro earlier this year, and he ran for the primary unopposed. Its not a surprise. Hes known Shapiro, 48, since the attorney general was around five years old and Shapiros father was involved in the same synagogue. Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. If the calculation is the way for his agenda to pass is to lean into the conservative side of the [Democratic] party, it is the wrong calculation.. WebThe Pennsylvania Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Attorney General Josh Shapiro, the Democratic nominee, is a first-class fundraiser with a record of winning tough statewide races. WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. We had the ability to show him and we had the ability to move politicians., But he gives Shapiro a lot of credit. Former Gov. His chief of staff and a medical doctor should appear to discuss his condition. But the reality of the matter is that Fetterman is unwell and was hospitalized for two days in early February after he felt lightheaded and, shortly thereafter, checked into Walter Reed Army Medical Center to be treated for depression where he has remained incommunicado for the last two weeks with his office saying that he remains on a path to recovery, without providing any further details. Josh Shapiro will be sworn in January 17 as Pennsylvanias third Jewish governor, taking his oath on a stack of three Hebrew Bibles, one of which comes from the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. WHYY thanks our sponsors become a WHYY sponsor, focused their 2022 efforts on the U.S. Senate, the release of a landmark grand jury report, Trumps family border separation policy, election-time changes to post office operations, 48 criminal charges against Energy Transfer, often expressing concerns about public safety, gave Shapiro more control over prosecuting, ultimately distanced himself from the bill, one of the lead attorneys who defended Donald Trump. Fetterman has been an avid proponent of more frequent pardons from the state board that recommends prisoners for release. Some former Republican officials in the state openly rejected Mastriano and endorsed Shapiro. When he first ran for attorney general in 2016, Students First a PAC associated with Yass, Greenberg, and other Susquehanna executives gave him $125,000. That a Democrat followed suit in Pennsylvania a much bigger political stage, with a much larger population matters. Ed Rendell who donated $250,000 and was appointed to the Transition Personnel Committee; and Vince Tutino, the president of Lindy Paving who donated $200,000 and was appointed to the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee. In a period of a couple months, you have to shift from campaign to governing mode, you have the crush of appointments to make, youve got to translate your campaign promises into a policy agenda, said David Thornburgh, senior advisor to the Committee of Seventy, an influential government reform group based in Philadelphia. Soon, we will be rolling out changes to better differentiate between different types of transactions, whether monetary, non-monetary (in-kind), or something else. He appeared on Fox News in his first television interview as governor. WebJosh Shapiro did not provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2022 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you. Schmidt is well respected in political circles as someone who is battle-tested from defending the citys election integrity against attacks by former President Donald Trump. Shapiro has since committed to lots of the law centers priorities, including ending mandatory life-without-parole sentences for second-degree murder, opposing new mandatory minimum sentences, and maintaining a death penalty moratorium. Copyright 2023 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Warm start to March before the next wintry mess on Friday! Progressive Philly District Attorney Larry Krasner is another on-again-off-again opponent. Gov. Its chair is Senator Sharif Street. Our readers keep us independent, beholden to no outside influence, and accessible to everyone whether they can afford to pay for news, or not. While Mastriano was focused on the 2020 election and re-litigating that, Shapiro was promoting broadband internet. Now is the time. WebThe Pennsylvania Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.It is headquartered in Harrisburg and is the largest political party in the state. Following Gov. Pennsylvania Gov. There are a handful of people who are hyper-passionate about abortion, but theres a big chunk of people who want to take an online course but dont have the internet.. If you think the Democrat party cares about anything other than personal power look at what they did to John Fetterman. For instance, Yass and his co-founders have given millions of dollars to Philadelphia Democratic state Sen. Anthony Williams political runs. Josh Shapiro, a religious Jew who uses his faith as part of his political identity, is rejecting that principle. During the 2020 election, Shapiro raised his national profile as a frequent cable news commentator and Trump critic. Elections Summary Voter Registration & Polling Place Ballot Measures Issues Public Statements Political Parties Election Contacts Political Courage Test For Candidates. Want a digest of WHYYs programs, events & stories? Hes been watching Shapiro lay this groundwork since they were county commissioners. But it recognized, too, ways in which the Democratic Party is vulnerable, and it sent an important message to voters who feel that the party doesnt see or have much regard for them. plus a daily puzzle. Veteran political operatives in Pennsylvania said his transition team and cabinet picks show an unusual level of bipartisanship. According to Shapiro, he expects Fetterman to return and that he will serve for a good long while.. It really speaks to what I think Josh does very well. Josh Shapiro's transition team features Republicans and those pushing policies at odds with the Democratic agenda, and that's all part of his strategy. But hes also a fraught choice for Shapiros transition team. Democrat Josh Shapiro won the race for governor of Pennsylvania, securing the office for four years in a state where the future of abortion rights is on the line, along with management of the 2024 election in a battleground that is often decisive in choosing presidents. As a young state representative, hehelped broker a power-sharing agreement that maintained Democrats influence in Harrisburg during a period of closely divided House control. In 2016, with then-Attorney General Kathleen Kane under indictment and the office in disarray, Shapiro won that statewide position on a promise to restore order. The test will be, is he willing to do things that arent comfortable for Democrats.. Experts call it credentialism a trend that began around the 1970s and kept accelerating for company job recruiters to require a bachelors degree even for jobs (from IT specialist to, yes, newspaper reporter) that may not really need one. But hes better known in Pennsylvania politics as a former leader of the state Republican Party. He has deep connections to Shapiro, having known the incoming governor since Shapiro was a child, when Groen and Shapiros father attended the same synagogue. Alejandro A. Alvarez / Philadelphia Inquirer, Abolitionist Law Center Executive Director Robert Saleem Holbrook, Cheyney University Chief Diversity Officer Pamela Keye, Susquehanna International Co-Founder Joel Greenberg, Johns Hopkins Medicine professor Ravi Gupta, Former Pa. Republican Party head Val DiGiorgio, Conservation Voters of Pa. political director Katie Blume, Former Pa. Democratic Party head Marcel Groen, protested Shapiros appearance at a conference, pay unusually low federal income tax rates, has said he considers the governor-elect a friend, Unequal election policies disenfranchised Pennsylvania voters in 2022, by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA and Carter Walker of Votebeat, How anxiety came to dominate the big business of medical marijuana cards in Pennsylvania, Thousands of Pa. homeowners feel stuck in a high-stakes game of telephone with their homes, vital utilities on the line, What the public can and cant know about Four Diamonds, beneficiary of Penn State THONs fundraising, Grudges, tribalism, and infighting rife in Pennsylvania borough that hired the cop who killed Tamir Rice, by Min Xian of Spotlight PA State College, A complete guide and amendment tracker for proposed changes to Pennsylvanias Constitution, Who is on Pa. Gov.-elect Josh Shapiros transition team? On Point is produced by WBUR for NPR. Larry Ceisler, a public affairs executive, said the range of political persuasions reflected in the group is intentional, and that its useful to have influential people who are invested in the administrations success on both sides of the aisle. Pennsylvania Gov. Millions of young Americans may not know the term credentialism, but the concept is baked into their brain, from their teen SAT prep classes to get into the right school, to their monthly debt payments that can drag onto into middle age and well beyond. The order directs Alaskas Department of Administration to review state job descriptions and determine where practical experience could be used in lieu of the four-year college degree requirement typically asked of applicants. Youve been reading our work. Overthrowing the college degree as a one-size-fits-all fast pass to employment is good for everyone. Hes viewed as someone driven less by ideology than by a desire for unanimity. I believe as fervently as anyone in the value of a four-year college degree not just as a path to professional opportunity but also as preparation for informed, thoughtful citizenship. Today, too many Americans feel compelled to pursue a college degree, whether they want to or not. Josh Shapiro and Wes Moore Are Ready To Step Up The inaugurations in Pennsylvania and Maryland this month introduced Democrats to their future. Its a reaction to difficulties in attracting workers in a tight labor market, the high cost of college, and Republican distrust of the ideological effects of college education. SIGN UP HERE. If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. On Monday, Governor Josh Shapiro sat down with NBC News for an interview during which he sought to allay concerns over Fettermans deteriorating health and dismissed the possibility of a special election to allow Pennsylvanians to rectify their mistake in sending a mentally incapacitated man to Washington D.C. as their representative for the next six years. Josh Shapiro was sworn into office Jan. 17 at the Pennsylvania State Capitol. spotlightpa.org/donate. Josh Shapiro unveils his first budget next week, poor districts that won a landmark school-funding lawsuit want him to propose a As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. It was the first time in history Democrats held a majority in Montco government. Wes Moore It means that theyre invested in the success of the Shapiro administration, which means that the people and the policies that theyre going to jumpstart to get this administration going, if they run into some bumps down the road in the legislature, I think that Gov. He talked about job opportunities for people without a college degree. In the United States today, there is a massive swath of middle-management, white-collar jobs with unnecessary degree requirements. Get every Spotlight PA story andthe best investigative journalism from across Pa. PA Post (Daily): Top news every weekday morning, Josh Shapiro was sworn into office Jan. 17 at the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Gov. Ed Rendell did not attend due to mobility challenges. Shapiros announcement, other states announced they would be taking action to eliminate college degree requirements for state jobs. Pennsylvania government should be a place where every single person has the opportunity to serve and to succeed, Davis said. Support our commitment to credible conservative news. HARRISBURG The transition team helping governor-elect Josh Shapiro prepare for office is wide-ranging and, in some cases, controversial, offering a glimpse into the way he hopes to govern the commonwealth and court members of the GOP in the legislature. He is also Web- Shapiro For Governor Thank you, Pennsylvania. Spotlight PA is different. Along with the executive action, Shapiro ordered all executive branch agencies to emphasize skills and experience during the hiring process and launched a review of the remaining 8% of jobs that still require a four-year degree. One of those people is Holbrook. Doug Mastriano spent 30 years in the U.S. Army serving his country in Iraq and Afghanistan. Fellow board member Shapiro, however, has more often cast votes recommending against them, often expressing concerns about public safety. His first executive What Shapiro's transition team and cabinet picks say about Especially in tighter economic times, people should not be forced to choose between the essentials, and essential news. Shaprio, Pennsylvanias attorney general, will defeat Republican Doug Mastriano, CNN has projected, in the open-seat race to succeed term-limited Democratic Hoeffel, Shapiros onetime boss, had a falling out with him after Groen and the Montco Democrats refused to endorse Hoeffel for another term as county commissioner, siding instead with a slate that included Shapiro and Leslie Richards. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation. Hoeffel later told The Philadelphia Inquirer that you dont want to turn your back on [Shapiro], because loyalty is not his strong suit. Reached for comment about the impending formal start to Shapiros gubernatorial campaign, the former U.S. rep had little to add. HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) On Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, a new Pennsylvania governor will be sworn-in in Harrisburg. We dont believe vital investigative and public-service journalism should be hidden behind a paywall or only for those who can afford a subscription fee. Monica Crowley (@MonicaCrowley) February 27, 2023. Most notably, Shapiros team on Jan. 5 announced the next Secretary of State will be Al Schmidt, a former Philadelphia city commissioner. Pennsylvanians can indeed find light in the midst of darkness and drown out the voices of hate and bigotry, he said. It is headquartered in Harrisburg and is the largest political party in the state. All Rights Reserved. Josh Shapiro and the Democrats, if they want to live by their own standards, are going to have to do something about the problematic organization they belong to and represent on the ballot. Josh Shapiro nominated for his cabinet? Initial cautious optimism has faded somewhat as leaders in the state Housestruggle to establish which party will have majority control. The public will not see it and we do not share it. Explaining graupel: A more uncommon type of wintry precipitation, Biden to award Citizens Medal to 12 on Jan. 6 anniversary, Shapiro taps superintendent to be education secretary, Majority of 16,000 canceled Pa. mail-in ballots were from Dems. One of its co-founders, Jeff Yass, is arguably the commonwealths single biggest conservative political donor. Election administration is especially important in the 2022 race for Pennsylvania governor. Josh Shapiro. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives - representing the 153rd legislative district (2005-2012) - and is a former member and Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. Shapiro was elected Attorney General in 2016. The uncertainty there could hinder the governors ability to pass legislation. All Rights Reserved. Austin Davis was sworn in earlier in the day. For now, as Shapiro shapes his team and signs his first executive orders, Republicans are taking notice. It's been a prolific political career thus far for Pennsylvania's new governor. There is no one that Ive met in government that I thought was better at administering a government agency than Josh is, Castor said. For years, he operated in the same Montgomery County political circles as Shapiro and has said he considers the governor-elect a friend. Progressives will be looking for him to deliver wins on major Democratic issues in return for their support, while Republicans will be seeking to advance their priorities in return for allowing any of Shapiros to move. 2023Spotlight PA228 Walnut St., #11728Harrisburg, PA 17108-1728. hopefuls flock to Palm Beach for Club for Growth retreat, Eyes on 2024: A page from DeSantis book, California poll: Homelessness is most urgent issue in the state. Ive gotten a lot of phone calls from people who were very disappointed that they didnt make the final cut, Ceisler said. The room was quiet, the reaction muted as the new governor delivered brief remarks. After a governor takes office in Pennsylvania, there are an additional 40 cabinet and executive official positions to fill. HARRISBURG, Pa. Gov. He was bolstered by a historically weak opponent in Doug Mastriano, a far-right Republican who led efforts in Pennsylvania to overturn the 2020 presidential election, embraced Christian nationalism and associated with people who spread antisemitism. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. That assumption is reinforced by the ballooning of credentialism often called degree inflation in the American workforce. But Greenberg has a long relationship with Shapiro. While he may not have stated it explicitly, this was the essence of the Democrats very first executive order, which opened up some 92% of job listings in state government about 65,000 in all to applicants who dont have a four-year college degree. He resigned from his chairmanship of the state party amid accusations that hed ignored sexual harassment allegations. The notion is this: You cant make it in 21st-century America without that most expensive piece of sheepskin: the college diploma. 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