January 28, 2012

By Maresa Strano

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania: The job of managing the Pennsylvania state lottery is poised to be outsourced to a private management firm based in the United Kingdom called Camelot Global Services. Despite a dearth of popular support for privatization, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett spent the last nine months enthusiastically soliciting potential buyers to take over the operation-estimated to be worth $3.5 billion. In the end, Camelot Global Services was the only bidder, and, pending the contract‘s clearance byattorney general Kathleen Kane (D) and state treasurer Rob McCord (D), will assume management duties in the near future.^[1]

According to a Jan. 17 press release from the governor’s office, the contract requires Camelot to provide no less than $34.6 billion in profit over 20 years, which is “at least $3 to $4.5 billion more than Lottery’s sales projections and its historic performance suggest it could generate” otherwise under the current system.^[2] In addition to projected marginal returns, the deal is expected to produce efficiencies and save the state a considerable amount of money, although at the cost of many jobs.

Corbett’s office has released no official statements addressing the numerous concerns state lawmakers and citizens have expressed about the privatization, including the jobs that will be lost in the changeover and the ostensible secrecy surrounding the contract negotiations between the governor and potential bidders.^[1][3] Instead, the governor’s office laid out a detailed explanation for why the deal is critical to the survival of government programs supporting Pennsylvania’s growing population of senior citizens. Should the contract receive the necessary approval, Corbett says, he can add $50 million to the budget for the specific purpose of improving “home and community-based services so that older adults may continue to live in their homes.”^[2] The majority of the proposed $50 million will go to the Aging Waiver Program and the OPTIONS Program, which currently provides in-homes services to almost 30,000 seniors over the age of 60 who are deemed “clinically or financially vulnerable.” The OPTIONS Program offers various in-home support services to seniors such as home-delivered meals, security assistance, and care management.^[2]

January 15, 2012

By Maresa Strano

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania: In November, Pennsylvania voters elected two new Democrats, Kathleen Kane and Eugene DePasquale, to state-row.^[1] Today, both were sworn into office.

Kane’s oath makes her the first Democrat and first woman elected Attorney General in the state’s history.^[2] She succeeded Republican Linda Kelly, who was appointed to serve out the remainder of current Gov. Tom Corbett‘s term following his election to the top office in 2010. Kelly was the first woman to hold the position since it became an independent elected position in 1981, but her claim as an appointee left Kane with the additional designation of being the first ever woman elected attorney general, the state’s chief law enforcement officer.^[3]

Whether Kelly would have been able to beat Kane to the honor of this particular “first” no one will ever know, owing to the circumstances of her appointment. Kelly’s 2010 Senate confirmation had been predicated on a “gentleman’s agreement,” a staple of Pennsylvania state politics, whereby state executive appointees pledge to not seek a full term to the position in the subsequent election cycle.^[4]

Also sworn in this afternoon was former state lawmaker and now Pennsylvania’s 51st State Auditor Eugene DePasquale. DePasquale was elected in November to take over as the state’s head financial watchdog. He replaces fellow Democrat Jack Wagner, who was first elected in 2004 and could not run again in 2012 due to term limits.^[5]

The third state executive position up for election last fall in the Keystone state was State Treasurer. Incumbent Rob McCord (D) ran for and won re-election on November 6, 2012. He began his second term today with the following oath, taken in turn by new colleagues Kane and DePasquale:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this Commonwealth and that I will discharge the duties of my office with fidelity.” ^[6]

By Maresa Strano

Now that the vast majority of the 2012 contests have been settled, the time is ripe to draw up the 2013 special elections calendar.^[1]

In Pennsylvania, two incumbent state legislators successfully sought new office in this year’s general election, and special elections will be held to determine their replacements.^[2][3]

The first, Democrat Matthew Smith, has served as the State Representative for Pennsylvania’s District 42 since 2007.^[4] After three terms in that position, he ran for, and won, election to the Pennsylvania State Senate. Smith will resign his current post after the legislative session ends on November 30, 2012. Then, Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R) will call for a special election.^[5]

District 95′s own Eugene DePasquale (D) is also preparing for a job transition, though, unlike Smith, he will soon be leaving the state’s legislative branch altogether. On November 6, 2012, DePasquale was elected to the statewide office of Pennsylvania State Auditor. He will have to vacate his seat in the House before the executive terms begin on January 17, 2013,^[6] after which Speaker of the House Samuel Smith (R) will call for a special election to find the next District 95 Representative.^[5]

Neither election has been scheduled as of November 29, 2012.

November 15, 2012

By Maresa Strano

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania: Since declaring her candidacy amid little fanfare, newly minted attorney general-elect Kathleen Kane has risen meteorically in Pennsylvania’s political ranks. The former Lackawanna prosecutor is the first woman to be elected attorney general in the state’s history, and she was the highest vote-getter of any Pennsylvania candidate in last week’s general election. In the Democratic primary, which took place on April 24th, Kane overcame former U.S. Congressman and presumptive nominee Patrick Murphy to earn a place on the November ballot alongside Cumberland County District Attorney and GOP darling David Freed. (Libertarian Marakay Rogersalso competed in the general election, siphoning 2.3% of the vote according to unofficial results provided by the Pennsylvania Department of State).^[1] In 1978, Pennsylvania passed a law changing the attorney general from an appointed to an elected office; Since it debuted on the ballot in 1980, no Democrat until Kane had ever won the office.

Kane’s dominance at the polls last week can be attributed to a number of factors, most notably the earnest support of former President Bill Clinton – who became an early champion of Kane’s candidacy as repayment for her work helping Hillary Rodham Clinton take Pennsylvania in the 2008 presidential primary as a regional campaign coordinator – and the faltering popularity of the Republican party among Keystone voters, with Gov. Tom Corbett at the helm. Recent polls show that Corbett’s disapproval rating averages about 10% higher than his approval rating, figures which reflect public sentiments about more than just his job performance, two years into his reign as governor.^[2] Before Corbett was elected governor, he was the attorney general. As attorney general, he initiated the three year grand jury investigation into Jerry Sandusky that culminated this year under the purview of Corbett’s appointed replacement attorney general, Linda Kelly. Accompanying her background as a self-styled sex-abuse specialist, Kane’s central campaign promise was to launch a formal review of Corbett’s handling of the investigation, particularly his decision to use a grand jury. In so doing, she “turned the race into a partial referendum on Corbett.”^[3] Even though Sandusky was ultimately convicted of over 40 counts of sexual misconduct and will likely die in prison, almost 50% of voters said in September that they agreed with Kane about the review.

Corbett’s struggle to secure the confidence of many voters concerning the Sandusky case and matters relating directly to his record as governor – education cuts, voter-ID, sluggish progress in GOP-backed legislation - ^[4] illustrate bigger picture challenges facing the Republican party in Pennsylvania, as evidenced by the overwhelming Democratic turnout on election day. ^[5]Well in advance of the primary, party operatives referred to Freed’s campaign for attorney general as Corbett’s “top electoral priority in 2012.”^[6] Corbett also campaigned heavily for Republican Tom Smith, who sought to unseat Bob Casey, Jr. (D) in the U.S. Senate. Both candidates were defeated at the polls Tuesday, along with the Republican candidates for state treasurer and state auditor.^[1]

October 29, 2012

By Maresa Strano

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania: Three state executive offices are up for election in Pennsylvania this year: attorney general, state treasurer, and auditor general.

Between the three races, only one incumbent - Pennsylvania Treasurer Rob McCord (D) – is seeking re-election in 2012. First elected in 2004, incumbent auditor general Jack Wagner (D) could not run this year due to term limits, and current attorney general Linda Kelly (R) is stepping aside upon the expiration of the term she was appointed to by nowGovernor Tom Corbett. Kelly’s Senate confirmation in 2010 was predicated on a “gentleman’s agreement,” a staple of Pennsylvania state politics, whereby state-row appointees pledge to not seek a full term to the position in the subsequent election cycle. The open seats for auditor general, and especially for attorney general, have made for an intense campaign season.

In Pennsylvania, all polls are open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Eastern Time.^[1] (See also: State Poll Opening and Closing Times (2012))

The following is an overview of what Keystone voters can look forward to as they prepare to hit the polls November 6th:

October 29, 2012

By Ballotpedia’s Congressional team

HARRISBURG: Pennsylvania: There are 18 U.S. House seats and 1 U.S. Senate seat on the ballot in Pennsylvania in 2012. Heading into general election on November 6, 2012, all 19 (100%) of the congressional races are contested, meaning there are at least two candidates running for each seat. Although 19 U.S. House incumbents filed for re-election this year, only 17 will advance to the November ballot. Redistricting cost Democratic incumbents Tim Holden (D-17) and Jason Altmire (of the former 5th district) their party’s nomination in the primary election, which took place on April 24, 2012.^[1]

In Pennsylvania, all polls are open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Eastern Time.^[2]

See also: State Poll Opening and Closing Times (2012)

U.S. Senate

Incumbent U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Jr. (D) is running for re-election in 2012. Casey was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006, when he unseated future Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum. Casey has enjoyed high approval ratings throughout his first term in Congress. His popularity has withstood the impact of fluctuations in President Obama’s standing within the party, and his conservative positions on issues like gun control and abortion lend him cross-over appeal from Independents and Republicans, as indicated by polling data heading into November’s general election.^[3]

Casey was unopposed in the Democratic primary election on April 24, but will face two challengers in the general election, including Republican businessman Tom Smith.^[4] Smith, a Tea Party devotee, defeated a handful of candidates for his party’s nomination in the primary, and is estimated to pose a modest threat to Casey’s re-election: The final stretch of Smith’s largely self-financed campaign has been built around a “bombardment” of TV spots criticizing Casey’s record on economic stimulus and job creation.^[5] Smith out-raised and out-spent Casey by a tremendous margin in the third quarter campaign finance reports.^[6][7][8] In early October, Smith’s momentum looked to be either gaining or diminishing on account of contradicting polls and race projections. The Cook Political Report down-shifted its rating from likely Democratic to leaning Democratic in October and a poll from Muhlenberg College showed Casey’s lead narrowing to two points over Smith.^[9] Almost simultaneously, a Public Policy Poll was released showing Casey ahead 50-39, the widest margin seen since August.^[3] The incongruities continue to manifest in the final week of October, with the National Republican Senatorial Committee throwing an additional $500,000 into eleventh-hour political advertising for Smith right as the latest survey from Rasmussen Reports, conducted October 24th by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC, showed Casey leading Smith 46-45 with 9 percent undecided and +/- 4.5% margin of error- a statistical dead heat.^[10]

State	General Election Candidates	Incumbent	2012 Winner	Partisan Switch?
Pennsylvania Class 1 Senate seat	Bob Casey, Jr.  Tom Smith  Rayburn Smith	Bob Casey, Jr.	Pending	Pending

U.S. House

Heading into the November 6 election, the Republican Party holds 13 of the 19 Congressional seats from Pennsylvania. However, the state lost one seat after the 2010 Census reapportionment and will elect 18 representatives. Of the 36 possible major party primaries (2 parties, 18 seats), only 10 (28%) were contested, well below the national average. The remaining 18 party primaries contained only one candidate (or none at all). Highlights from the April 24th primaries include:

• Incumbent Democrat Tim Holden was defeated by challenger Matt Cartwright. The Campaign for Primary Accountability had targeted Holden as being out of touch with the district. Cartwright criticized Holden for voting against President Obama’s health care bill.^[11]
• In an incumbent-vs-incumbent battle created by redistricting, Mark Critz outlasted Jason Altmire in a Democratic primary battle. Leading up to the primary, Altmire had been leading most polls. Critz first assumed office in 2011, while Altmire has served in the House since 2007. Critz will face Republican Keith Rothfus in the general election.

The Washington Post listed the House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania in 2012 as one of the states that could determine whether Democrats retake the House or Republicans will hold its majority in 2013.^[12] Ohio tied with Pennsylvania for 9th on the list.^[12]

Here is a complete list of U.S. House candidates appearing on the general election ballot in Pennsylvania:

• Candidates
• Race spotlight
• Partisan breakdown by district
• Comparison of new and old redistricting maps

 

District	General Election Candidates	Incumbent	2012 Winner	Partisan Switch?
1st	Robert Brady  John Featherman	Robert Brady	Pending	Pending
2nd	Chaka Fattah  Robert Mansfield  Robert Ogborn  James Foster (PHP)	Chaka Fattah	Pending	Pending
3rd	Missa Eaton  Mike Kelly Steven Porter	Missa Eaton	Pending	Pending
4th	Harry Perkinson  Scott Perry  Mike Koffenberger Wayne Wolff	Scott Perry	Pending	Pending
5th	Charles Dumas Glenn Thompson	Jason Altmire	Pending	Pending
6th	Manan Trivedi  Jim Gerlach	Jim Gerlach	Pending	Pending
7th	George Badey Patrick Meehan	Patrick Meehan	Pending	Pending
8th	Kathryn Boockvar  Michael G. Fitzpatrick	Michael G. Fitzpatrick	Pending	Pending
9th	Karen Ramsburg  Bill Shuster	Bill Shuster	Pending	Pending
10th	Philip Scollo  Tom Marino	Tom Marino	Pending	Pending
11th	Gene Stilp  Lou Barletta	Lou Barletta	Pending	Pending
12th	Mark Critz  Keith Rothfus	Mark Critz	Pending	Pending
13th	Allyson Schwartz  Joe Rooney	Allyson Schwartz	Pending	Pending
14th	Michael F. Doyle  Hans Lessmann	Michael F. Doyle	Pending	Pending
15th	Rick Daugherty  Charlie Dent	Charlie Dent	Pending	Pending
16th	Aryanna Strader Joseph R. Pitts John Murphy James Bednarski	Joseph R. Pitts	Pending	Pending
17th	Matt Cartwright  Laureen Cummings	Tim Holden	Pending	Pending
18th	Larry Maggi  Tim Murphy	Tim Murphy	Pending	Pending

October 24, 2012

Florida. Ohio. Colorado. New Hampshire. You’ve no doubt heard a lot of talk about the presidential swing states. With just two weeks left until the general election, political reporters across the country consider anywhere from 3 to 10 states to be toss-ups in the race for the presidency. Here at the Lucy Burns Institute, our election analysts have focused on nine of those states with significant non-presidential races to present a full picture of the 2012 elections in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Whether it’s a congressional race pitting two incumbents against each other, a state legislative chamber that is one seat away from switching from a Democratic to a Republican majority, or a judicial election that will decide the balance of a state Supreme Court, the teams at Ballotpedia and Judgepedia have a breakdown of everything you’ll want to watch in these key states.

Colorado

Colorado voters will decide an important ballot measure this year; Amendment 64, on the November 6, 2012 ballot as an initiated constitutional amendment, which would legalize recreational marijuana in the state. The measure will ask whether or not to legalize the use and possession of, at most, an ounce of marijuana for residents who are 21 and older. President Barack Obama‘s and Republican candidate Mitt Romney’s stance regarding marijuana legalization, regulation and taxation like alcohol is expected to influence the young voter population in Colorado.

After redistricting, two Congressional districts are considered to be up for grabs: the 6th district where incumbent Republican Mike Coffman is facing current state representative Joe Miklosi (D). The other seat that could swing is in the 3rd district, where freshman GOP representative Scott Tipton will attempt to hold off a challenge from Democratic state representative Sal Pace.

In the state House and state Senate, 32 incumbents are not seeking re-election – 16 from each party. One seat to pay close attention to is House District 47, from which Keith Swerdfeger (R) is retiring, leaving a seat for Democrats to potentially pick up. Netto Charles Rodosevich (D) will face Clarice Navarro-Ratzlaff (R) in the general election.

Florida

In 2010, the Florida Supreme Court upheld three lower court rulings that struck three legislatively referred ballot measures from appearing on the statewide ballot that year. This year, the Florida Legislature passed a measure to the 2012 general election ballot that would revise provisions relating to repeal of court rules, limit readoption of repealed court rule and stipulate that all appointments to the Florida Supreme Court be subject to confirmation by the Florida State Senate. The proposed legislation also grants the state House access to investigate files of the Judicial Qualifications Commission. Although the measure, Amendment 5, is not an issue being discussed in the presidential race, any controversial or scrutinized measure in this swing state could send a rush of voters to the polls. On a related note, conservatives are leading a strong effort to oust Supreme Court Justices Barbara Pariente, Fred Lewis and Peggy Quince. The justices are under fire for various rulings in support of federal healthcare legislation, the death penalty and other controversial topics.

Florida gained two Congressional seats as a result of redistricting. Predictions vary, but as many as eight U.S. House seats could be in play. Perhaps more significant is the U.S. Senate race between incumbent Bill Nelson (D) and U.S. House Rep. Connie Mack (R). The seat leans in Nelson’s favor and he has polled out front. With the control of the Senate a toss-up, any close Senate battle is pivotal to both parties.

Iowa

An anti-retention effort against Justice David Wiggins is underway, led by conservatives who are upset with Wiggins’ participation in a unanimous 2009 ruling to overturn the state’s ban on gay marriage. The other three justices who voted in the case were not retained to their positions in 2010.

Iowa lost one Congressional seat as a result of redistricting. This has prompted an incumbent-vs-incumbent battle between Leonard Boswell (D) and Tom Latham (R) in the 3rd District. Though it’s not an incumbent match up, the race in 4th District is also expected to be very close, as incumbent Steve King (R) faces former First Lady of Iowa Christie Vilsack (D).

In the state Senate, Democrats hold a slim 26 to 24 majority, while Republicans have a 59 to 40 majority in the state House. Races to watch include Senate district 26, where incumbent Mary Jo Wilhelm (D) will face incumbent Merlin Bartz (R), and House district 13 with incumbents Chris Hall (D) and Jeremy Taylor (R) battling it out for the seat.

Maine

One of the most closely-watched ballot measures of the year comes from Maine. The state is one place in the country where the issue of gay marriage is starting to draw serious attention from both sides. Maine Question 1 would overturn a voter-approved 2009 ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage in the state.

With Republican incumbent Olympia Snowe retiring, the U.S. Senate seat in Maine is now considered a toss-up. The current frontrunner is former Governor of Maine Angus King, an Independent, who is expected to caucus with Democrats should he win the seat. King faces Cynthia Dill (D) and Charles Summers (R) in the election (along with several other third party candidates).

Republicans hold small majorities in both state legislative chambers. In Senate District 27, incumbent Douglas Thomas (R) is challenged by representative Herbert Clark (D). Clark is attacking Thomas by drawing attention to an unpopular proposed highway project that passes through the district. House district 94 will see the Assistant Democratic Leader Teresea Hayes opposed by Timothy Turner(R). Hayes narrowly kept her seat in 2012, escaping with a 2,122 – 2,012 victory.

Michigan

Though the Michigan Supreme Court race is technically non-partisan, it has been riddled with partisan conflict between the three Republican-endorsed candidates (Stephen Markman and Colleen O’Brien for the full term; Brian Zahra for the partial term) and three Democratic-endorsed candidates (Connie Marie Kelley and Bridget Mary McCormack for the full term; Shelia Johnson for the partial term). The loaded races have a total of ten candidates running for three seats on the court.

Michigan lost one congressional seat via redistricting. Of particular note is the 11th District, where incumbent Thaddeus McCotter (R) failed to qualify for the ballot and then subsequently resigned his seat. Tea Party-backed candidate Kerry Bentivolio will attempt to hold the seat for Republicans in both the regular election and a concurrent special election as well. He will face Syed Taj in the general election — and David Curson (D) in the special election.

One measure garnering attention in Michigan is Proposal 4. The initiative would place features of the Michigan Quality Community Care Council in the state constitution, in addition to providing home health care providers with limited collective bargaining. Collective bargaining rights has been an issue under much debate since 2011, when Ohio’s Senate Bill 5 took center stage.

New Hampshire

Incumbent Democratic Governor John Lynch (D) is not running for re-election. Former state senator Maggie Hassan (D) faces Ovide Lamontagne (R) in the general election. Polls are indicating a very close race for the governorship, which is one of only eleven gubernatorial races this year.

Both congressional districts in New Hampshire are in play. Currently, both seats are held by Republicans. Both races feature rematches from 2010, between Democrat Carol Shea-Porter and Frank Guinta in the 1st district and between Democrat Ann Kuster and Charlie Bass in the 2nd district.

North Carolina

After winning control of the state legislature in 2010, Republicans in North Carolina redrew the congressional redistricting map to swing in the GOP favor. Presently, seven of the 13 seats are held by Democratic incumbents, but several seats are expected to change hands in North Carolina on election night. The races of particular note are the 7th, 8th, 11th and 13th districts.

A total of 10 state executive positions are up for election this year in North Carolina. Democratic governor Bev Perdue is not running for re-election and Republican Pat McCrory is polling comfortably ahead of the Democratic nominee, current lieutenant governor Walter Dalton. The Republican Party is expected to gain a trifecta on election night by winning the governorship and maintaining control of both chambers of the legislature.

This year’s North Carolina Supreme Court election could shift the balance of the court. Though the state’s judicial races are technically nonpartisan, the political parties have each made their positions clear. The Republican-backed incumbent, Justice Paul Martin Newby, is challenged by Democrat-endorsed Sam Ervin. Currently, the political balance favors conservatives 4-3. A number of laws passed by Republicans in the General Assembly are currently being challenged in lawsuits that could find their way to the high court — raising the stakes of this election even higher.

Ohio

With three contested races for the Ohio Supreme Court, a variety of outcomes is possible. The results won’t shift the court’s conservative composition, which is 6-1 Republican, but they could serve as a bellwether for other Ohio races. Appointed incumbent Justice Yvette McGee Brown is competing in her first race to the court. If she wins election, Brown will be the first Democrat elected to the court since 2000. A willingness for Ohio voters to elect a Democrat to the high court may signify a shift of opinions in the perennially watched state.

The redistricting process in Ohio this year didn’t come without controversy, leading to Issue 2 on the general election ballot. The measure would create a 12-person citizen commission to draw legislative and congressional district maps. According to supporters of the measure, the commission would create districts that would reflect the state’s geographic, racial, ethnic and political diversity. The initiative would also bar lobbyists and elected officials from joining the commission. Currently, the Ohio Legislature redraws district maps every ten years following U.S. Census results.

Ohio lost two congressional seats this year. In one of the tightest U.S. Senate races of the year, incumbent Sherrod Brown (D) is being challenged by current state treasurer Josh Mandel (R). Brown has maintained a slight lead in the polls as well as in fundraising. For the U.S. House, the 16th District race features an incumbent-vs-incumbent battle between Betty Sutton (D) and Jim Renacci (R). Another close race to watch is the rematch in the 6th District between incumbent Bill Johnson (R) and Charlie Wilson (D).

Pennsylvania

While the governor is not up for election, there are still three state executive elections taking place in Pennsylvania. The current attorney general, Linda Kelly, was appointed to the post by Gov. Tom Corbett and will not seek election to a full term. Democratic candidate Kathleen Kane, who edged out Patrick Murphy, the presumptive nominee, is polling out front of David Freed (R). Since the position became an elected post in 1980, no Democrat has ever won the office in a general election.

Both chambers of the legislature have the potential to swing from Republicans to Democrats. Republicans have a nine seat advantage in the Senate and a nineteen seat advantage in the House, but all four retiring Senators are Republicans. Close races in the Senate include open seats in Districts 15 and 49, while in the House Districts 3, 5, 37, and 197 (which is currently vacant) look to be some of the most competitive.

Pennsylvania lost one congressional seat as a result of redistricting. Currently Republicans hold 13 of the 19 seats in the state. Several races are considered to be competitive, including the 6th district,7th district, 8th district and 12th district. The 12th district is of particular note because it featured an incumbent-vs-incumbent battle in the primary, where Mark Critz (D) emerged victorious over Jason Altmire. Critz faces a strong challenge from Keith Rothfus (R) in the general election. If Rothfus wins, it would mean two incumbents lost within the same district in one election cycle — an extremely rare occurrence.

September 25, 2012

By Maresa Strano

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania: Heading into the election season’s final stretch, the major party nominees for Attorney General of Pennsylvania are facing the benefits and drawbacks of political action committees inserting themselves into their campaigns through independent expenditures. David Freed (R) and Kathleen Kane (D) each has the backing of powerful party affiliated PACs, with which their campaigns are legally prohibited from coordinating, but commonly perceived to be in alliance. This tenuous relationship came to the fore last week, when the Republican State Leadership Committee, billed as “the only national organization whose mission is to elect down ballot, state-level Republican office-holders,”^[1] paid $558,700 to air a television advertisement on select Philadelphia stations containing what turned out to be false attacks on Kane.^[2] The ad cited an example of a plea bargain that had been made in a rape case during Kane’s stint at the Lackawanna District Attorney’s office, inaccurately portraying her involvement in the deal to make her look “soft” on rape. Being tough on sex-abuse crime is one of the defining themes of Kane’s campaign and her identity as a prosecutor; the ad, which stated, “Of Kane’s few cases, a judge rejected a weak plea deal she made because of the brutality of the crime and age of the victim,”^[3] was designed to undermine that image.

Soon after the ad’s release, the father of one of the two rape victims whose cases were mentioned came forward to refute the claims about his daughter’s case. “I’d like to ask the people who made this outrageous advertisement if they would like their daughter’s tragic story all over television…if they can’t convince people to vote for [Freed] without lying, he should not even be running,” the father wrote in a letter first published in the Philadelphia Daily News.^[2] Documentation provided by the DA’s office confirmed the father’s claim that Kane’s involvement in the case was purely administrative and ended after the preliminary filing stage, leading the PAC to pull the ad and publicly acknowledge the error.^[4] The RSLC removed any reference to the rape case and promptly re-released the edited version, but continued airing the original ad on their website, inflaming the situation further. “Freed needs to tell his people to take their ad down immediately and take their special interest money and their dirty tricks and get out of Pennsylvania. The people of Pennsylvania deserve better,” said a campaign spokesman.^[5]

After significant prodding by Kane’s campaign, Freed’s campaign manager commented on the controversy, saying, “It’s our sincere hope that our opponent, as well as any outside groups that are supporting our campaign or our opponent’s campaign, conduct themselves in an honest and ethical manner.” He made no specific mention of the ad or the insinuations about Freed’s relationship to the PAC.^[5]

September 19, 2012

By Maresa Strano

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania: One of the powers vested in both the lieutenant governor and attorney general of Pennsylvania is a voting seat on the state’s Board of Pardons. The Board of Pardons is composed of five members charged with reviewing applications for sentencing reconsiderations criminal cases, with the exception of impeachment cases, and then voting to “determine whether clemency should be recommended to the Governor for his approval or denial.”^[1] A common duty for state chief executive officers, the Pennsylvania Constitution empowers its governor with the ability to confer mercy, under particular circumstances, on a criminal after a court has concluded his/her guilt. What distinguishes Pennsylvania’s post-sentencing adjustment system slightly from those practiced in other states is that the Pennsylvania governor’s role in the process only comes to life after the Board of Pardons has made its final consideration- and only if the Board votes to nominate the clemency bid for gubernatorial submission. In cases with the severest sentences–life imprisonment or the death penalty–a unanimous decision among the five Board members is prerequisite to a bid’s consideration by the governor, a rule that came into play this week when the Board voted 3-2 on the application to block the execution of Terrence Williams, who was given the death penalty in 1986.^[2] Board members Attorney general Linda Kelly and lieutenant governor Jim Cawley contributed to the split. Cawley was one of two who voted to oppose the clemency bid, which reached the Board after new, potentially mitigating, evidence arose in Williams’ case concerning the convicted murder’s history of repeated sexual abuse by men. The Board’s disagreement eliminated the possibility for Gov. Tom Corbett (R) to exercise his pardoning power in the case.

Today, Williams’ attorneys will request a stay of execution from a Philadelphia judge, whose ruling could segue into an appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court down the line. Time is of the essence, however, with Williams’ execution scheduled for October 3rd. The federal public defender working for Williams will try to convince the judge that prosecutors withheld evidence of sexual abuse from the defense, and that such information could have affected the outcome of the case.

There are currently two hundred inmates on death row in Pennsylvania. If Williams’ original sentence is carried out, his will mark the state’s first execution of a prisoner in 13 years.^[2]

September 15, 2012

By Maresa Strano

HARRISBURG, PA: Pennsylvania’s major party tickets have been in the rear view mirror since Spring. Yet as of September 15, there are a handful of Republican and Democratic nominees still uncertain about their third party general election competition due to efforts to disqualify Libertarian candidates seeking state executive and legislative offices, based on signature errors made in the petition nominating process.^[1]

After four weeks of review by the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, roughly 13,000 signatures remain in contention. Should the challengers appeals fail to stand up, the party will be a mere 620 signatures away from the reaching the 20,601 necessary for ballot qualification.^[2] The coalition of challengers want to disqualify 11,000 signatures for election law violations like listing an address different from a voter’s registration, or omissions relating to the date and year marked beside a petition signature.^[1]

Among the candidates hoping to appear on the Libertarian ticket in Pennsylvania this November is former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, the party’s 2012 Presidential nominee, who has already been cleared for the general election ballot in 47 states plus the District of Columbia. Johnson is joined by Libertarian candidates for other statewide offices that include U.S. Senate nominee Rayburn Smith, nominees for attorney general and state auditor Marakay Rogers and Betsy Summers.^[3] Pennsylvania is already under the microscope this fall as the whole country awaits the state Supreme Court ruling on the new controversial voter-ID law, which was passed last year by Gov. Tom Corbett and Republican lawmakers, without the blessing of a single Democratic member of the legislature, and set to go into effect in the general election. Despite the tension, secretary of the commonwealth Carol Aichele, the state’s chief elections official, says the attention surrounding voter-ID and contested third party candidates could yield “the biggest voter turnout we’ve ever had in Pennsylvania.”^[4]

A three-judge panel heard arguments from both sides this week and ruled 2-1 in favor of the Libertarians on the mismatched addresses issue, certifying approximately 9,000 contested voter signatures, but also disqualified nearly 1,500 voters who omitted the year from the date they signed the petition. After the court issued its decision, the challengers and Libertarians stated intention to jointly appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.^[2]