Author Archive: Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Pa. GOP Lawmakers Want Voters to Give Them the Power to End Governor’s Emergency Orders
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Republicans in the Pennsylvania House are advancing a measure that would give the legislature more power over the executive branch, the result of long-festering resentment against Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf over his actions to control the coronavirus pandemic.

Top Pa. Lawmakers Who Rejected Election Results Denounce U.S. Capitol Mob
HARRISBURG, Pa. — State lawmakers in Pennsylvania denounced violence in Washington on Wednesday after a mob of Trump supporters breached the U.S. Capitol to impede the official count of Electoral College votes.

In Rare Move, Bipartisan Panel Rejects Pa. House Request to Audit 2020 Election
HARRISBURG, Pa. — An attempt by Pennsylvania’s Republican-controlled legislature to audit the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election failed Monday when a bipartisan panel rejected it, citing its redundancy.

Pa. Lawmaker Claims Capitol Unsafe After Fifth Member Tests Positive for COVID-19
HARRISBURG, Pa. — A state lawmaker has filed a formal complaint against the Pennsylvania House alleging unsafe working conditions, citing potential exposure risks after another member tested positive for the coronavirus.

Two Women Just Made History in the Pa. Legislature. Will That Be the Last Thing They Have in Common?
HARRISBURG, Pa. — One is a former health-care worker and political veteran from Westmoreland County. The other is an ex-public defender and relative newcomer from Philadelphia. Two different women, two different parties, two different sides of the state.

Pa. GOP Advances Audit of 2020 Election, Says It’s Not About Fraud
HARRISBURG, Pa. — State House Republicans on Wednesday moved a step closer to launching a review of the 2020 presidential election in Pennsylvania, though the process would not be completed until after the state’s vote is officially certified.

The Months-Long Political Saga That Guaranteed a Long Vote Count in Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG, Pa. — It didn’t have to be this way in Pennsylvania.

Pa. Republicans Drop Effort to Create ‘Election Integrity’ Panel With Subpoena Power
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania Republicans have dropped their plan to create an “election integrity” panel with subpoena power, an effort Democrats feared would lead to a “stealth attack” on voting.

House GOP Leadership Calls on Lawmaker to Resign Over Vulgar Videos
HARRISBURG, Pa. — House Republican leaders are calling on a member of their caucus to resign after videos of a Lawrence County lawmaker encouraging his young son to smoke and curse emerged this week.

Lawmakers Mount New Push to Give Pa. Counties More Flexibility in Counting Mail-in Ballots
HARRISBURG, Pa. — With a partisan logjam holding up election reforms in the Pennsylvania legislature, lawmakers are making one final push to fix what county officials across the state say is the number one issue standing in the way of a timely counting of votes.