Journalists Roundtable: April 26, 2018

This week, Journalists Roundtable was on the road in York County at the offices of The York Daily Record. York has two gubernatorial candidates: Incumbent Democrat Tom Wolf is running for a second term as governor, and state Sen. Scott Wagner, who is serving his first full term as a member of the Senate after winning his seat in a write-in campaign, a first for the state Senate. The new Congressional redistricting plan split York County, with the 10th Congressional District shifted north to include eastern Cumberland, northern York and all of Dauphin counties, and the 11th, which includes southern York and all of Lancaster County. To discuss local and statewide issues are three York Daily Record reporters and editors: Maddie Crocenzi, Outdoor Adventure & Healthy Lifestyles Reporter; Scott Fisher, Opinions Page Editor; and Ed Mahon, Investigative Reporter. Also joining the panel is Bobby Tufarolo, a junior at Central York High School. He is Photography Editor for the school paper “The Prowler.” He was on hand for YDR’s annual High School Journalism Workshop. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: April 19, 2018

This week, Journalists Roundtable was on the road in Pottstown at the offices of The Mercury. The suburban collar counties around Philadelphia have three open Congressional seats covering Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties. With the primary election less than four weeks away, changes to Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation and to the General Assembly in Harrisburg could hinge on the outcome of races in southeastern Pennsylvania counties. To discuss these topics and others are: Tony Phyrillas, Editor of the Pottstown Mercury; Philip Heron, Editor of the Delaware County Daily Times; and Michael Rellahan, Courthouse Reporter for the West Chester Daily Local. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: April 12, 2018

This week, Journalists Roundtable was on the road in Allentown at the offices of the Morning Call. Allentown, the third largest city in Pennsylvania, has its second new mayor in the last four months, Ray O’Connell, who ran against former mayor Ed Pawlowski in both the primary and general election as a write-in. Pawlowski resigned after being convicted in a pay-to-play scheme and is due to be sentenced in June. The region’s Congressman, Republican Charlie Dent, is not running for re-election. Eight candidates have filed  to replace him in the newly drawn 7th Congressional District primary. To discuss these topics and others are: the Morning Call’s Washington Correspondent Laura Olson; Emily Opilo, a reporter covering Allentown; Nicole Radzievich, a reporter covering Easton; and Columnist Bill White. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: March 29, 2018

This week, Journalists Roundtable was on the road in Levittown, headquarters of the Bucks County Courier-Times & The Intelligencer. The suburban counties around Philadelphia have been changing demographically, with more registered Democrats, but who they will vote for in 2018 is the big question. Northern Bucks County is the more affluent area. It supported Hillary Clinton in 2016. Southern Bucks is a working class area where more blue collar Democrats supported Donald Trump for president. Since the Parkland, FL school shooting a month ago, gun safety has been at the forefront of local debate, as are traffic and transportation concerns. A number of state legislative retirements have been announced in Bucks County. Freshman Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick’s 1st district was the least changed of any in the state’s new redistricting plan, but he faces both a primary and general election challenge. To discuss these topics and others are: Guy Petroziello, Editorial Page Editor of the Bucks County Courier-Times & The Intelligencer; James Boyle, a Reporter with The Intelligencer and JD Mullane, a Columnist with the Bucks County Courier-Times. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: March 22, 2018

A federal District Court and the U.S. Supreme Court did not approve challenges to Congressional maps drawn by the PA Supreme Court. The rulings occurred the day before the nomination petition filing deadline. By Tuesday, 94 candidates had filed for Pennsylvania’s 18 newly drawn Congressional districts. The latest incumbent, Conor Lamb, who was elected to a district that no longer exists, will run in the primary in the 17th district against incumbent Republican Keith Rothfus. Due to retirements, the approved map has six seats without an incumbent. Some state legislators have sought to impeach the four Democratic justices who approved putting the new map in place in 2018. At the Capitol, the Senate passed a package of domestic violence bills Wednesday, including one that would require firearms to be transferred to a neighbor or relative in cases where a person has a protection from abuse order filed against them. To discuss these topics and others are: John Finnerty, Harrisburg Bureau Chief with CNHI and John Baer, Political Columnist with the Philadelphia Daily News. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: March 15, 2019

A special election in Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional District made national news Tuesday when Democrat Conor Lamb topped Republican Rick Saccone by 627 votes in a district that in 2016 went for President Donald Trump by 20 points. A recount is not automatic in non-statewide races, even when just 0.27 percent separates the top two candidates. A third candidate, Libertarian Drew Miller, received less than 1 percent of the vote, more than twice the margin of victory. Last Friday, a panel of federal judges heard arguments in an appeal of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s newly drawn Congressional Districts. Lawyers for Republican lawmakers argued that the court was legislating from the bench. Also last Friday, Rep. Tarah Toohil (R-Luzerne) requested a restraining order against another GOP Caucus member, Rep. Nick Miccarelli (R- Delaware), who denies her allegations. Meanwhile, the state House passed a bill that would reduce the size of the House by 53 seats and the Senate by 12 seats, making Pennsylvania General Assembly about 25 percent smaller. To discuss these topics and more are: Paul Engelkemier, Managing Editor with PoliticsPA; and Dennis Owens, State Capitol Reporter and Anchor with ABC-27, WHTM in Harrisburg. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: March 8, 2018

Journalists Roundtable Host Brian Lockman sat down recently with Chris Comisac, Bureau Chief of Capitolwire; and Tony Romeo, Harrisburg Bureau Chief for radio stations KDKA in Pittsburgh and KYW in Philadelphia, to discuss their reporting careers and how they got into journalism 

Journalists Roundtable: March 1, 2018

This week, Journalists Roundtable profiles long-time capitol journalist Brad Bumsted, Harrisburg Bureau Chief of The Caucus, a weekly newspaper published by LNP and based in Lancaster. The Caucus covers Pennsylvania politics in depth. Host Brian Lockman talks to him about his career covering politics in Harrisburg.

Journalists Roundtable: February 24, 2018

This week, Journalists Roundtable profiles two of our regular guests, Dennis Owens and Steve Esack. Host Brian Lockman recently sat down with  Dennis Owens, State Capitol Reporter and Anchor with ABC-27 News in Harrisburg; and Steve Esack, the Allentown Morning Call’s  Harrisburg Correspondent,  to talk about their careers, how they became journalists and what it’s […]

Journalists Roundtable: February 15, 2018

Friday, Feb. 9, was the deadline set by the PA Supreme Court for the General Assembly to submit a revised redistricting plan to the governor. The court ruled on Jan. 22, that the 2011 Congressional Redistricting Act was unconstitutional. Short on time to pass a bill, House and Senate GOP leaders submitted a new map to Gov. Tom Wolf that redraws the lines of Pennsylvania’s 18 Congressional districts. Democrats in the legislature say they were not consulted. Gov. Tom Wolf rejected the Republican-generated map as partisan gerrymandering and will submit an alternative redistricting plan by the court’s Feb. 15 deadline. Other parties can also submit maps and the court can either choose a map or create its own. The court said it will draw lines itself if a plan isn’t submitted by Feb. 19. For statewide, PA House and Senate candidates, nomination petitions began circulating this week, but for Congressional candidates, petitions start circulating Feb. 27, per a decision by the PA Department of State. This extra time will allow Congressional candidates to file petitions in newly drawn districts. To discuss these topics, Gov. Tom Wolf’s budget proposal and others are: John Micek, Editorial & Opinions Page Editor, PennLive & The Patriot-News; Katie Meyer, Capitol Bureau Chief with WITF-FM; and Jason Gottesman, Harrisburg Bureau Chief with The PLS Reporter.  Our host is Brian Lockman.