38 CityAndStatePA .com
January 2022
CITY & STATE PENNSYLVANIA MANAGEMENT & PUBLISHING Publisher Susan Peiffer speiffer@cityandstatepa.com Group Publisher Tom Allon Event & Sales Director Lissa Blake Vice President of Operations Jasmin Freeman Comptroller David Pirozzi
Who was up and who was down last month
CREATIVE Creative Director Andrew Horton Senior Graphic Designer Aaron Aniton Photo Researcher Michelle Steinhauser Junior Graphic Designer Izairis Santana
LOSERS THE BEST OF THE REST
EUGENE DEPASQUALE Former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale may not be in public office anymore, but he found himself back in the headlines after he intervened in a viral fight at the Peach Bowl and shielded a woman who got caught in the scuffle and fell to the ground. It was a laudable move from DePasquale, who said that besides the fight, he enjoyed his time at the Peach Bowl. SETH BLUESTEIN Seth Bluestein ended 2021 on a high note after Mayor Jim Kenney appointed him to the board of the Philadelphia City Commissioners. Bluestein will replace his boss and outgoing Commissioner Al Schmidt, who is leaving to lead the good government group Committee of Seventy. Bluestein, along with the city’s two other commissioners, will be charged with overseeing the city’s elections during a very tumultuous time.
MICHAEL RASHID Now the former Philadelphia Commerce Director, Michael Rashid resigned from his role last month after reports surfaced he made anti-Semitic remarks and verbally abused his staffers. Rashid’s resignation also comes following the departures of several senior department leaders and staffers, some of whom blame Rashid’s behavior as the reason they left.
ADVERTISING advertising@cityandstatepa.com Senior Sales Executive Michael Fleck mfleck@cityandstatepa.com Sales Executive Frank Feinberg ffeinberg@govexec.com Sales and Events Coordinator Laura Hurliman events@cityandstatepa.com DIGITAL Digital Director Michael Filippi mfilippi@cityandstateny.com Marketing & Special Projects Manager Caitlin Dorman cdorman@cityandstateny.com Digital Marketing Associate Ben Taha ADVISORY BOARD Chair Governor Ed Rendell Board members Leslie Gromis-Baker, Gene Barr, Samuel Chen, Joseph Hill, Teresa Lundy, Anne Wakabayashi, Ray Zaborney, Tricia Mueller
THE REST OF THE WORST
ANTHONY NERO Eagleville’s Anthony Nero could face up to 15 years in prison after he fired three shots at a Montgomery County Democratic Party office last year. Nero pleaded guilty to the charges in early January and blamed his actions on heightened political tensions resulting from COVID-19 and his beliefs that the 2020 general election was stolen. Sentencing is scheduled for April. JENNIFER RILEY A major blow was dealt to Jennifer Riley, executive director from Marsy’s Law for PA – and advocates for victims’ rights last month – after the state Supreme Court ruled that Marsy’s Law can’t be approved into law under a single measure. The justices determined that the 15 provisions in the constitutional amendment attempted to make too many changes at once. Riley said she was “disappointed,” but will keep fighting.
Vol. 2 Issue 1 January 2022 Town halls? Distanced. Fundraisers? Curbed. Debates? Zoomed.
Covidʼs Campaign Conundrums How pols are adapting to this year’s lackluster landscape.
The state's top
50
political consultants CIT YANDSTATEPA .COM
@CIT YANDSTATEPA
JANUARY 2022
Cover illustration: Victor Juhasz
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PA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; KIMBERLY PAYNTER/WHYY
AUSTIN DAVIS Attorney General Josh Shapiro tapped state Rep. Austin Davis as his running mate, despite the fact that Pennsylvania voters must elect lieutenant governor candidates in separate elections. The planned endorsement is a big boost to Davis, given that Shapiro is widely expected to be the Democratic nominee for governor come November.
OUR PICK
OUR PICK
WINNERS
With each new year comes an opportunity to reflect and renew – you know, the whole “New Year, New Me” thing. And that certainly holds true in the political world, too. Politicians are hoping that the new year will bring new beginnings – from a state rep. eyeing his first statewide race to a former city official looking for a new gig after allegedly making anti-Semitic remarks. Here are some people poised for a strong 2022 and others hoping the new year will bring a much-needed change.
EDITORIAL editor@cityandstatepa.com Editor-in-Chief Jenny DeHuff jdehuff@cityandstatepa.com List Editor Greg Salisbury gsalisbury@cityandstatepa.com Senior Reporter Justin Sweitzer jsweitzer@cityandstatepa.com Staff Reporter Harrison Cann hcann@cityandstatepa.com
