This week’s campaign chatter addresses NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem.
Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Val DiGiorgio released a statement knocking Democratic Supreme Court candidate Dwayne Woodruff, who defended the rights of NFL players to sit, kneel or skip the national anthem.
Woodruff, an Allegheny County Common Pleas Court judge and former Pittsburgh Steelers player, compared the players to Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks.
“Pennsylvania has more veterans than any state in the nation. Our citizens respect and honor our flag and those who have died fighting for its ideals. It’s terribly disappointing to see that Judge Woodruff, who would like to be a Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice, has thrown in with those who disrespect our flag,” DiGiorgio said. “Our commonwealth deserves Supreme Court judges committed to protecting our Constitution and the principles upon which our nation was founded. Pennsylvanians are outraged by privileged millionaires who take a knee while our national anthem is playing. Clearly, Judge Woodruff does not share their values.”
Woodruff faces Republican Sallie Mundy, who was appointed to the Supreme Court last year.
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The Pennsylvania Democratic Party is criticizing state Sen. Scott Wagner, a Republican candidate for governor, for flying with Steve Bannon to a conference in St. Louis, where Bannon endorsed Wagner.
Democrats fault Wagner for, among other things, his pro-Donald Trump views and what they see as his “extremist” positions on health care and women’s rights.
“Of course Scott Wagner loves his endorsement by the leader of America’s alt-right movement, Steve Bannon, who maintains close ties to Donald Trump,” said Beth Melena, communications director for the state Democratic Party. “Both Wagner and Bannon have expressed anti-Semitic and white nationalist views, want to take away health insurance from millions, and eliminate a woman’s right to make decisions about her own health care. Scott Wagner is clearly way too extreme for Pennsylvanians.”
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The deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 10, to register to vote in the Nov. 7 general election.
Registrations can be completed at https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov
To register to vote in person, go to the Philadelphia voter registration office at 520 N. Columbus Blvd., fifth floor, or the Philadelphia County Board of Elections, 142 City Hall.
Both offices are open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Voter registration applications are also available at post offices, public libraries, state liquor stores and other state government offices.
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Congregations of Shaare Shamayim, 9768 Verree Road in Bustleton, has invited candidates in the general election to speak at a forum on Sunday, Oct. 15, at 10 a.m.
Admission is free, and brunch will be served.
To RSVP, call 215–677–1600. ••
