Winners & Losers

This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

This week's biggest Winners & Losers

This week's biggest Winners & Losers

By City & State

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Even with both the 2020 presidential election and 2021 municipal primary election in the rearview mirror, election policies and procedures are still taking up plenty of oxygen across Pennsylvania. The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania this week called on lawmakers to give counties more time to count mail-in ballots, a change they’ve been seeking for well over a year. But while Pennsylvania counties wait for the legislature to take action, a decision in Philadelphia to count undated mail-in ballots led to the city commissioners reversing that decision. It came after they received pushback from both Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration and legislative Republicans — a rare partnership, these days, in Harrisburg. 

Scroll down for more of this week’s winners and losers!

WINNERS:

Seth Grove -

After three GOP members of the General Assembly took a trip to Arizona this week to see the state’s partisan 2020 election audit, state Rep. Seth Grove – who is leading the Pennsylvania legislature’s efforts to reform and update the state’s Election Code – made clear that the House has no intentions to audit the results of the 2020 presidential election, despite the desires of right-wing state Sens. Doug Mastriano and Cris Dush. “The PA House of Representatives will not be authorizing any further audits on any previous election,” Grove wrote in a tweet, which may help to dispel efforts to audit Pennsylvania’s already-certified, already-audited presidential election results.

Robert Evanchick -

The Pennsylvania State Police were able to close six murder cases this week after a serial killer in Florida admitted to the killings of two couples and two men in the 1970s. Edward Surratt, a Beaver County native, is serving life in prison in Florida for murder. He confessed to killing six people, who died of shotgun wounds. PSP Commissioner Robert Evanchick, as well as the surviving family members, finally know who is responsible.

Bill Peduto -

A Pennsylvania city was ranked among the sweetest places to live, and it wasn’t Hershey. According to Niche, Pittsburgh is the 30th best city to live in America. The Steel City came in with an overall A grade after receiving and A+ in nightlife, A in diversity, and A- for families. This ranking is a testament to the city’s reforms over the last several years. Mayor Bill Peduto has taken steps to promote revitalization and environmentally-friendly development, and it’s beginning to show.

LOSERS:

Ryan Samsel -

Bucks County native Ryan Samsel was arrested following the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, and after the scathing Department of State document released this week, it looks like he’ll be behind bars for awhile. Samsel was charged with assaulting a police officer and other crimes, alleging that he pushed over barricades that knocked a female officer to the ground and pulled a riot shield from another officer. He filed to be released from jail pending trial, but prosecutors found that he has an extensive history of physical violence toward women. The federal filing says he poses “a danger to the community.” There’s little denying that now.

Brian Buglio -

A police chief found himself on the other side of the law this week in northeastern Pennsylvania. West Hazleton Police Chief Brian Buglio pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation after threatening a citizen with false arrest over Facebook posts attacking him and community police. Buglio agreed to resign within 10 days of entering into a plea agreement, but his employment status has not been updated online. There may be some gray areas with the use of social media, but threatening a citizen with felony charges isn’t up for debate in the eyes of the law.

Stephen Zappala -

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala made headlines this week after saying that clients of Black attorney Milton Raiford — who called his office “systemically racist” – should not receive plea deals. The comments came in an email obtained by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and have led to multiple calls for Zappala’s resignation from state lawmakers, while others have raised ethical concerns. Zappala’s office has not yet responded publicly to concerns raised about the email.

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