McGinty
The America Rising political action committee is criticizing Katie McGinty for resigning last week as chief of staff to Gov. Tom Wolf to make an expected run for U.S. Senate.
McGinty, a Democrat, spent just six months on the job, and the state has been without a budget since Wolf vetoed a proposal before the June 30 deadline.
“Katie McGinty chose her own political ambition over fighting for Pennsylvania voters. By abandoning Gov. Wolf in the midst of a budget crisis, McGinty has made clear that her priorities lie with promoting her own career,” said Jeff Bechdel, America Rising PAC communications director.
McGinty is a Rhawnhurst native who attended Resurrection of Our Lord Grammar School and St. Hubert High School. She is a former secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Last year, she ran for governor, but received less than 8 percent of the vote and finished last in a four-candidate primary field.
“Make no mistake, Gov. Wolf was correct when he called Katie McGinty’s political ambition a ‘distraction’ to coming to a budget solution, because days after her resignation, there’s suddenly hope for a budget deal. Pennsylvanians deserve better from their government officials. If McGinty chooses to run for Senate, she will have to explain to voters why she was putting her political ambitions ahead of the budget and the commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Bechdel said.
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McGinty is expected to face former congressman Joe Sestak in the Democratic primary.
Last week, Sestak was in Chester County, discussing the immigration reform segment of his book, Walking in Your Shoes to Restore the American Dream.
“It is neither practical nor consistent with our ideals to think we can find 12 million undocumented immigrants, ripping many of them away from their children — around 4 million — who were born here and therefore are citizens, and send them all back,” Sestak said. “Similarly, any path to naturalization for those who are here illegally should include stringent requirements — fines for having violated immigration laws, repayment of back taxes, background checks, proof of employment and passing a basic English test.”
Sestak also talked about the need for the U.S. to secure its border.
“Border security isn’t just about illegal immigration, it’s a serious matter of national security,” he said. “But when I argue for a more secure border, I’m not advocating for a prison-style wall across the entire border — I’m arguing for smart measures like more advanced unmanned vehicles and motion detectors.”
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On Friday, Sestak was in Warrington, discussing the seniors’ issues chapter of his book.
When he served in the U.S. House, Sestak authored the Elder Abuse Victims Act, which was the first bill on elder abuse to pass the House in 17 years. The bill provided for funding for elder abuse prosecutorial departments at the local, state and federal levels; law enforcement training on appropriate action in these cases; funding for nurse investigators; and required a study to evaluate the various state programs designed to protect seniors from abuse, neglect and exploitation.
“I continue to be appalled at congressional unwillingness to invest money in elder abuse prevention,” Sestak said. “When I submitted my bill, the federal government spent $153 million on programs addressing elder abuse, which paled in comparison to the $6.7 billion spent on child abuse and the $520 million spent in the Violence Against Women Act — both measures which I very strongly support. But because of this funding gap, our seniors continue to fall victim to greater and greater abuses.”
Over the next decade, Sestak said the U.S. will need to add an estimated 1.6 million direct-care workers. Meeting this number, he said, will require investments in workforce training and retraining programs, but also more adequate tax credits and deductions for family members who provide care for their elders.
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Sestak discussed the recent agreement with Iran and the small businesses chapter of his book during a visit to Johnstown. The candidate expressed his cautious support for the Iranian agreement, which delays Iran from having nuclear-bomb grade material from 30 days to over a year.
Sestak said, “We must verify before we trust, and the military option remains on the table if they try to cheat, but our nation is more secure with a verifiable agreement.”
Sestak supports the Export Import Bank, a federal entity that levels the international playing field for some American entrepreneurs. The Ex-Im bank provides guaranteed lines of credit and direct loans.
“In Pennsylvania alone, the Export Import Bank supported over 250 businesses that conducted a total of $6 billion in transactions from 2007 to 2014,” Sestak said.
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Melissa Murray Bailey, the Republican candidate for mayor, is calling for the resignation of Carlton Williams, commissioner of the city Department of Licenses and Inspections.
As first reported by Philadelphia magazine, L&I paid philly.com $15,000 to run three “advertorials,” which resemble news stories but are labeled as ads.
“L&I’s purchase of propaganda articles on philly.com to improve their image is just another example of Philadelphia wasting our hard-earned tax dollars,” Bailey said. “While the everyday actions of L&I have resulted in multiple building collapses, unlicensed inspectors inspecting our homes and political vendettas against beer gardens, the commissioner tries to sell the city’s citizens on the improvement of the department with words instead of actually improving the department. For too long, L&I has been run as a corrupt political machine, whether it is inspectors taking bribes or the decision of City Council to include political ward committees in the zoning process. It is time for a change. I call on Commissioner Carlton Williams to resign immediately and I promise you as mayor, I will reform this corrupt institution for the betterment of all Philadelphians.”
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Lynne Abraham, Nelson Diaz, Doug Oliver, Milton Street and Anthony Williams last week endorsed Jim Kenney in the mayoral race during a luncheon.
Kenney defeated them in the Democratic primary.
“Jim’s plan to address the city’s violence crisis is a step in the right direction,” Street said. “There’s no question that he’s the best qualified of the general election candidates to focus on the issues crippling so many of our neighborhoods.”
Joe DeFelice, executive director of the Republican City Committee, said Kenney spent more than 20 years on Council while the city increased spending and the public school system failed.
“We are happy that a bunch of old friends could get together at lunchtime and pat themselves on the back, but, frankly, the people of Philadelphia deserve better,” DeFelice said.
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Comcast Corporation will sponsor the 25th, and last, Stu Bykofsky Candidates’ Comedy Night, a fundraiser for Variety — the Children’s Charity.
Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky originated the show in 1991 and has been the host and producer since then. Co-hosts this year will be Daily News columnists Jenice Armstrong and Jenny DeHuff.
This year’s show is set for Tuesday, Aug. 11, starting at 8 p.m., at Galdo’s, 20th Street and Moyamensing Avenue in South Philadelphia.
Participating candidates this year are Republican mayoral candidate Melissa Murray Bailey (Democrat Jim Kenney is the first mayoral candidate ever to decline to participate); Sheriff Jewell Williams and Republican challenger Christopher Sawyer; at-large Council members Bill Greenlee, Blondell Reynolds Brown, David Oh and Dennis O’Brien and challengers Derek Green, Allan Domb, Terry Tracy, Dan Tinney and Al Taubenberger. Tickets are $75 each.
The comedy headliner will be Joe Conklin, best known as the head comic on Sportsradio 94WIP, with Angelo Cataldi and the morning team.
For information, call 215–735–0803 or visit www.varietyphila.org ••
