Reps seek to stop ‘insurrection’ candidates
A state senator is calling for officials to throw 无毛视频渋nsurrectionists无毛视频� off the ballot, in the latest effort by Democratic lawmakers to target candidates tied to anti-government activity.
In a memo to Senate colleagues this week, Sen. Art Haywood, D-Philadelphia, said he无毛视频檒l propose a resolution calling for the Secretary of the Commonwealth to remove insurrectionists from election ballots. While Haywood didn无毛视频檛 specify the terms to apply, he said officials should disqualify 无毛视频渁ny candidate who has broken an oath to support the Constitution or has engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States.无毛视频�
That无毛视频檚 an apparent reference to the Jan. 6, 2021, siege of the U.S. Capitol, which saw a crowd of then-president Donald Trump无毛视频檚 supporters push through police lines and seize control of the nation无毛视频檚 legislative seat.
无毛视频淭here is much talk about election integrity in Pennsylvania on the voter side of the equation,无毛视频� Haywood said. 无毛视频淏ut what has been lacking in this discussion and debate is the necessity of excluding constitutionally and legally ineligible candidates from the ballot.无毛视频�
Among those charged in the Capitol attack are elected officials from across the country, who in some cases could face removal or impeachment for their alleged involvement. Last month, a judge removed a New Mexico county commissioner from office for his Jan. 6, 2021 role 无毛视频� the first such case reported in the country.
Haywood isn无毛视频檛 alone in pushing for accused anti-government figures to be disqualified.
This summer, Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta and Rep. Christopher Rabb, both Democrats of Philadelphia, proposed a constitutional amendment to bar those convicted of seditious conspiracy from any elected office in the state.
无毛视频淚n the recent past, our democracy was threatened by a group of armed individuals,无毛视频� the lawmakers said when they proposed the package. 无毛视频淚t continues to be threatened by individuals who share misinformation and create distrust, fear and ignorance within our communities.无毛视频�
This month, Rep. Jared Solomon, D-Philadelphia, said he无毛视频檒l propose a special committee to investigate attempts by elected officials to overturn the 2020 election results.
While all these bills address the threat in broad terms, some comments seem to be aimed at rival Pennsylvania politicians who were present at the Capitol incident.
Most prominently, state Sen. Doug Mastriano 无毛视频� the GOP candidate for governor 无毛视频� was present at the Washington rally. Mastriano does not face any charges, and has maintained he followed police instructions during the event.
Democratic efforts to change the law haven无毛视频檛 progressed in a GOP-controlled state Capitol.
Cannabis order raises Pennsylvania hopes
With President Joe Biden无毛视频檚 order this month to pardon thousands convicted under federal marijuana laws and potentially revise the drug无毛视频檚 classification, marijuana advocates are eyeing more reforms at the state level.
Many Pennsylvania politicians 无毛视频� including Gov. Tom Wolf and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Lt. Gov. John Fetterman 无毛视频� have called for recreational marijuana to be legalized. While Biden无毛视频檚 order doesn无毛视频檛 directly aid that process, a federal change to its medical status could help make the reform more palatable in Harrisburg.
无毛视频淥ne year ago today, Pennsylvania无毛视频檚 prison population reached its 20-year low,无毛视频� Wolf tweeted shortly after Biden无毛视频檚 order. 无毛视频淭his is an important milestone as we work to remedy over-incarceration, historical racism and the damage caused by the war on drugs无毛视频�.
Attorney General Josh Shapiro, the state无毛视频檚 top prosecutor and the Democratic candidate for governor, has expressed support for legalization; his opponent, Mastriano, forcefully opposes it.
无毛视频淎ll it无毛视频檚 done is destroy their society,无毛视频� Mastriano once said of states that legalized the drug, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Medical marijuana is already legal and regulated in Pennsylvania, and local governments have set a patchwork on rules enforcing casual recreational consumption. But stronger efforts to legalize the drug have so far stalled in the Legislature.
The latest bill to get any attention is Senate Bill 749, backed by GOP lawmakers including Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Bradford, Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-Washington, Sen. Pat Stefano, R-Fayette, and Sen. Judy Ward, R-Blair.
The bill, currently awaiting attention in the Senate, would change rules for workers who use medical marijuana.
Marijuana advocates and the American Civil Liberties Union criticized an earlier version of the bill for giving employers free rein to discipline workers who legally use the drug.
Other reform efforts, including sweeping efforts to legalize recreational use, haven无毛视频檛 progressed. Senate Bill 473, a year-old bipartisan plan to allow broad adult use, never got a committee vote.
Most of Pennsylvania无毛视频檚 neighboring states have either legalized marijuana or decriminalized its possession.
Ryan Brown covers statewide politics for Ogden Newspapers. He can be reached at rbrown@altoonamirror.com.