Squirrel Hill’s McCormick among GOP senators who urged Trump not to reclassify marijuana
U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick is at odds with President Donald Trump’s move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, arguing that it could adversely impact Americans’ health and safety, tax revenue and economic growth. McCormick, a Republican from Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill, was one of 22 GOP senators to co-sign...
Pa. GOP names new national committeewoman
The Republican Party of Pennsylvania has appointed Lori Hardiman to serve as a Republican National Committeewoman. Hardiman, of Fox Chapel, replaces Indiana County’s Christine Toretti on the national committee. Toretti, who became a national GOP committeewoman in 1997, stepped down after being confirmed as ambassador to Sweden in September. Hardiman...
Hens-Greco stepping down as leader of Allegheny County Democratic Committee
Sam Hens-Greco is stepping down as chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee early next month, clearing the way for new party leadership as Democrats head into the pivotal midterm elections. “I strongly believe in developing and making space for new leadership,” Hens-Greco, 69, of Pittsburgh’s Point Breeze, said in...
Shapiro joins Utah governor in condemning political violence, extreme rhetoric
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro quickly shifted gears Tuesday night inside the Washington National Cathedral as another shouting protester tried to interrupt him during an event on political violence and civility. “By the way, I’ll just thank the cathedral for the amazing acoustics. I can’t hear a word of what these...
Military required not to follow unlawful orders, Pam Bondi said in past court filing
The Trump administration’s top law enforcement official and legal adviser said in a brief filed last year in the Supreme Court that service members are required not to carry out illegal orders from a president. News of the resurfaced brief, first reported on by The New York Times, comes as...
Resurfaced Hegseth video intensifies clash over Democrats’ message on illegal military orders
U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio and other Democratic lawmakers under fire from the Trump administration for publishing a video saying service members are obligated to refuse illegal orders are further questioning the blowback in response to a 2016 video featuring current Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth. In the unearthed April 2016 video,...
Legislation from Summer Lee, Democratic colleagues would combat discriminatory AI
Artificial intelligence is transforming the world, one algorithm at a time. U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, wants to make sure those algorithms don’t violate people’s civil rights. Lee and three of her Democratic colleagues in the House are introducing a bill that would aim to prevent companies from using discriminatory...
$290M turnpike bridge project in Beaver County proceeds ’15 feet at a time’
Tim Swarrow isn’t afraid of heights — and that’s a good thing. On a typical day, Swarrow, an assistant superintendent for the construction firm Fay, S&B USA, helps oversee work being done as much as 200 feet above the Beaver River near Beaver Falls. That’s where the Pennsylvania Turnpike is...
FBI wants to question Deluzio, other lawmakers who made video on ignoring illegal orders
The FBI wants to question U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio and five other Democratic members of Congress who released a video last week telling service members and intelligence officials they have an obligation to refuse illegal orders. Deluzio, of Fox Chapel, said the FBI contacted the House and Senate sergeants at...
FBI: Thomas Crooks acted alone in attempted assassination of Trump in Butler County
The FBI has concluded that Bethel Park’s Thomas Crooks acted alone in the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Butler County during the 2024 presidential campaign. FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital that the bureau briefed President Trump on the findings of the investigation and he was “satisfied...
Chris Deluzio’s Western Pa. offices targeted with bomb threats
U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio’s district offices in Carnegie and Beaver County’s Center Township were targeted with bomb threats Friday afternoon, a spokesperson reported. The threats came a day after President Donald Trump accused Deluzio and five other Democratic lawmakers of engaging in “seditious behavior” by releasing a video telling servicemembers...
Deluzio, other Dems tell troops to refuse illegal orders, Trump labels them ‘traitors’
Six Democratic members of Congress who served in the military or intelligence community, including U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio of Fox Chapel, are telling current servicemembers and intelligence officials they have a right — and obligation — to refuse illegal orders. In response, President Donald Trump described the message from Democrats...
Meet Clay Higgins, the only House Republican to vote against releasing the Epstein files
U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., was the lone House member to vote against a bill that would force the Justice Department to release its files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “I have been a principled ‘NO’ on this bill from the beginning. What was wrong with the bill...
Southwestern Pa.’s congressional delegation unanimously supports Epstein files bill
Southwestern Pennsylvania’s four members of the U.S. House all voted Tuesday afternoon in favor of a bill that would force the Justice Department to release its files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The U.S. Senate later agreed by unanimous consent to approve the bill. The procedural move does...
A U.S. flag’s global odyssey to honor, unite all Americans started in Pittsburgh
On a June day marked by an elaborate military parade in the nation’s capital and thousands of protests across the country, the Pittsburgh-based National Flag Foundation presented a U.S. flag to the American Battle Monuments Commission in a quiet ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. “There was no band, no...
Democrats look to build on election wins in Pa., elsewhere as GOP refocuses
Democrats racked up victories in high-profile races across the country Tuesday night, prompting many on the left to view the wins as a repudiation of President Donald Trump and something to build on going into next year’s pivotal midterm elections. Some top Republicans downplayed the results, while others said Tuesday’s...
Labor Party’s Alex Rose leads in race for at-large seat on Allegheny County Council
Labor Party candidate Alex Rose held a sizable lead Tuesday night over Republican incumbent Mike Embrescia for an at-large seat on Allegheny County Council. Democrats were leading in seven other races in smaller county council districts. If the results hold up, Republicans would hold just one seat on the 15-member...
Allegheny County Sheriff Kevin Kraus up big in bid for 2nd term
Allegheny County Sheriff Kevin Kraus held a commanding lead Tuesday night over Republican challenger Brian Weismantle and appeared on his way to a second term in office. As of 11:30 p.m., with 90% of precincts reporting unofficial results and about 115,000 mail-in ballots counted, Kraus, a Democrat, had collected 64.4%...
Election Day storylines: What to watch
About a third of Western Pennsylvania’s voters were expected to cast ballots in today’s election, deciding key races for local, county and state office. Polls opened at 7 a.m. and closed at 8 p.m. Allegheny County spokeswoman Abigail Gardner said there was one report of a delay in opening. Pittsburgh...
Trump, Shapiro weigh in on Pa. Supreme Court retention elections
President Donald Trump took to social media Sunday night to urge Pennsylvanians to vote against retaining three Democratic justices on the state Supreme Court. In separate posts on Truth Social, Trump also endorsed numerous members of Congress, including U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly and Guy Reschenthaler of Western Pennsylvania, although they...
High-stakes Pa. judicial races, mail-in voting to boost election turnout, experts predict
Voter turnout typically craters in the year after a presidential election, but experts predict it will be higher than usual Tuesday because of high-stakes judicial retention races and the ease of mail-in voting. Allegheny County Elections Director Dave Voye estimates that about 35% of the county’s registered voters will cast...
Fetterman, McCormick back Senate-rejected plan to pay some federal workers during shutdown
Pennsylvania’s two U.S. senators — Republican Dave McCormick and Democrat John Fetterman — voted Thursday to pay some federal workers during the government shutdown, but the GOP measure failed to get enough support in the Senate. Democrats tried to push through a measure of their own that would have paid...
Pa.’s new Democratic chairman focused on pivotal upcoming races, growing the party
Pennsylvania’s new Democratic chairman is pulling a page from Ronald Reagan’s playbook in an effort to unify and grow his party. “We’ve got to get back to politics being a game of addition, trying to add to our coalitions and becoming a bigger tent,” Pennsylvania Democratic Chairman Eugene DePasquale said...
Some GOP leaders deem ‘No Kings’ rallies as anti-American
Some Republican leaders are describing Saturday’s planned “No Kings” demonstrations across the country as anti-American. “We call it the ‘hate America’ rally,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said during a news conference this week. “Let’s see who shows up for that. I bet you you’ll see Hamas supporters, I bet...
Marjorie Taylor Greene said she hasn’t changed, despite recent breaks from the GOP
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has been making life uncomfortable for some members of her own party in Congress. Greene, a conservative firebrand who has been a staunch supporter of President Trump, has been critical of how Republicans have dealt with several key issues in recent weeks and months....
