On the same day law enforcement officials discussed preparations for inauguration-related protests at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, Gov. Tom Wolf activated about 450 National Guard members to augment the local and state police response.
“I will not allow what happened at our nation’s capital to happen here. That is why I am taking the necessary measures to ensure everyone’s safety and security across our great commonwealth,” said Wolf, referring to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by right-wing extremists trying to stop the certification of the presidential election.
“The Pennsylvania National Guard’s presence around our state Capitol and surrounding community will enhance law enforcement’s ability to provide continued public safety and critical infrastructure security during these unprecedented times.
Although both Republican and Democratic House leaders called for his resignation when the videos became public, Bernstine ignored them and won re-election in November with 51.5% of the vote in a three-way race.
In a Tuesday letter to current House Speaker Bryan Cutler, Bernstine recounted that former Speakers John Perzel, a Republican; Bill DeWeese, a Democrat; and the late Herbert Fineman, a Democrat, were convicted of public corruption charges.
“Sadly, Pennsylvania has a deep history of bipartisan corruption, and the plaques are an appropriate way to inform visitors to the Capitol about some of those most recent instances,” Bernstine wrote. “I think we can both agree that it is inappropriate to try and erase history.”
J.D. Prose, USA TODAY Network - PA State Capitol Bureau
Saying that having children testify in-person before their alleged abusers is “absolutely horrifying,” Pennsylvania’s outgoing auditor general on Tuesday called for sweeping reforms to the state’s child-abuse appeals process.
Putting already traumatized children through hearings where they might be confronted by alleged abusers “is a cruel practice that should’ve ended decades ago,” said Auditor General Eugene DePasquale during an online press conference unveiling his third and final “State of the Child” report.
DePasquale, a Democrat, was term limited out of office and lost his bid for the 10th Congressional District seat. He released previous reports in 2017 and 2018.
J.D. Prose, USA TODAY Network - PA State Capitol Bureau
A Federal Communications Commission announcement earlier this week that nearly $369 million would be allocated to expand high-speed broadband access in Pennsylvania was just the latest development in the effort to give rural residents better internet service.
The FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I would help an estimated 327,000 Pennsylvanians in nearly 185,000 unserved homes and businesses over the next 10 years. During that span, about $9.2 billion will be spent on similar broadband programs nationwide.
Bids were taken from broadband providers in an auction-like process for projects in every county except for Northampton. Thirteen companies were chosen as bid winners in Pennsylvania.