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.

Journalists Roundtable: February 8, 2018

On Monday, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito did not issue a stay of the PA Supreme Court decision that ordered PA’s 18 Congressional districts to be redrawn. The PA Supreme Court ruled that the 2011 Congressional Redistricting Act is unconstitutional and said it would draw lines itself if it doesn’t receive a plan from the General Assembly and governor by Feb. 15. The House State Government Committee reported the bill to the House floor Tuesday, but it still contains no descriptions of what new districts would look like. On Wednesday, the PA Supreme Court issued a 139-page-long order detailing its reasoning why the law is unconstitutional. Until this is sorted out, Congressional candidates running for election stand in limbo to see if they will still reside in the districts they have announced they are running for. In the state House, a constitutional amendment to change the number of House districts to 151 was amended to also change the size of the Senate to 38, but this is not the same measure that passed last session, so it would not be in position to go to voters for approval if it passes in its current form. On Tuesday, Gov. Tom Wolf unveiled his fourth budget, proposing an additional $1 billion in spending, focusing on education and job training funding. To discuss these topics and others are: Chris Comisac, Bureau Chief with Capitolwire; Steve Esack, Harrisburg Correspondent, Allentown Morning Call; and John Baer, Philadelphia Daily News Columnist. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: February 1, 2018

Will the PA General Assembly need to pass a Congressional redistricting bill to redraw Pennsylvania’s 18 Congressional seats? Parties on both sides of the redistricting case anticipate action by the U.S. Supreme Court on a request to block the PA Supreme Court’s decision to redraw districts. They also await the full order from the PA Supreme Court detailing how districts should be redrawn. The Senate advanced a bill amending the 2011 Congressional Redistricting Act just in case. The bill contains no information about what new districts might look like, but was moved into position for a vote next week as a contingency. Also this week, Cong. Bob Brady (D-1) was the first Democrat to announce he will not run for re-election in 2018. In Harrisburg, more legislative retirements were announced, and now include six majority House chairs. The Senate also passed a bill that would require pension forfeiture for public officials and employees who commit any felony punishable by more than five years in prison. To discuss these topics and others are: R.B. Swift, staff writer with Capitolwire; Charles Thompson, State Government Reporter with PennLive and the Harrisburg Patriot-News; and Tony Romeo, Harrisburg Bureau Chief with KYW 1060 AM in Philadelphia and KDKA 1020 AM in Pittsburgh. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: January 25, 2018

The PA Supreme Court issued an order on Jan. 22 overturning the 2011 Congressional Redistricting Act as unconstitutional. In a 5-2 ruling,  the court established a timeline for Congressional district lines to be redrawn by the General Assembly. The non-prevailing party is considering an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay, in part due to uncertainty about whether districts could be redrawn in time for the May 15 primary. Also in the news, numerous candidates have filed for 2018 election races for governor, lieutenant governor, U.S. Senate and Congress. One of Pennsylvania’s  Congressional Districts, the 18th, is vacant. A special election will be held on March 13. Three more incumbents will step aside after this term. Congressman Pat Meehan from the 7th Congressional District is dealing with allegations of inappropriate behavior toward a female staffer.  In Harrisburg, numerous legislative retirements have been announced, and a constitutional amendment to decrease the size of the House to 151 members has cleared a House committee hurdle. If it passes, a ballot question could go to voters as soon as Nov. 6. To discuss these topics and others are: John Finnerty, Harrisburg Bureau Chief for Community Newspaper Holdings; Sam Janesch, Staff Writer with LNP; and Paul Engelkemier, Managing Editor with PoliticsPA. Our host is Brian Lockman.

Journalists Roundtable: December 14, 2017

The House and Senate were in session for the last week of the year, with much of the action coming in the House, which passed a package of budget process bills on party-line votes. They also sent to the governor a bill restricting abortions to 20 weeks gestation, which Gov. Tom Wolf vowed to veto. On the House floor, three House Democrats contested the excused absence of another Democrat, Rep. Kevin Haggerty of Lackawanna County, who has not voted on the House floor since July. Meanwhile, a constitutional amendment changing the way the lieutenant governor is selected was discussed during the same week an inspector general report came out about Lt. Gov. Mike Stack and his wife’s interactions with staff. Finally, The Caucus published a cover story on sexual misconduct in the state capitol. Our guests are: Chris Comisac, Bureau Chief with Capitolwire; Steve Esack, Harrisburg Correspondent, Allentown Morning Call; and Brad Bumsted Harrisburg Bureau Chief, The Caucus. Our host is Francine Schertzer.

Journalists Roundtable: November 16, 2017

With the 2017 election and budget impasse in the rear view mirror, attention turns to the 2018 gubernatorial and Congressional elections, and other legislative matters before the House and Senate. The Commonwealth Finance Agency has approved borrowing $1.5 billion against revenue from the tobacco settlement, new gambling licenses are being issued, and the $200 million in proposed fund transfers from PA Professional Liability Joint Underwriting Association is again being contested, as that organization has sued to maintain its existence. If they choose not to transfer the money to the General Fund, a new law disbands this medical malpractice insurer of last resort on Dec. 1. Our guests this week are: John Finnerty, Harrisburg Bureau Chief for Community Newspaper Holdings; Jason Gottesman, with MyPLS, Harrisburg Bureau Chief of The PLS Reporter; and R.B. Swift reporter with Capitolwire. Our host is Brian Lockman.