54 CityAndStatePA .com
May 2, 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’s been up – and down – this month
CREATIVE Creative Director Andrew Horton Senior Graphic Designer Aaron Aniton Photo Researcher Michelle Steinhauser Junior Graphic Designer Izairis Santana
THE BEST OF THE REST
AARON KAUFER Republican state Rep. Aaron Kaufer earned a big legislative win last month when his bill designed to attract more doctors to the state was signed into law. The bill will relax requirements on international medical students, allowing them to apply for medical licenses with the same amount of training as American medical school graduates. International graduates were previously required to receive an extra year of training in order to obtain a license. SUMMER LEE Calling all 2020 Democratic presidential candidates: Summer Lee is running for Congress. It seems like Lee, the progressive looking to replace U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle in the U.S. House, is getting endorsements from national figures every week. This time around, it’s U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Warren joins the likes of Bernie Sanders and Ayanna Pressley in endorsing Lee to represent the Pittsburgh region.
DAN MOUL State Rep. Dan Moul led an effort in the General Assembly to allow the creation of new boroughs by petitioning the Court of Common Pleas, only to be vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf, who said the bill will “lead to further fragmentation of local governments.” But Moul may have a chance to try again next year when the term-limited Wolf leaves office. Yikes. THE REST OF THE WORST SAID RIVERA
Said Rivera was arrested by Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s office recently for his role as the alleged ringleader of a Schuylkill County drug trafficking ring that reportedly helped move fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the region. Shapiro charged Rivera and four others with corrupt organizations, possession with intent to deliver meth and fentanyl and criminal conspiracy. If the charges stick, Rivera could end up out of the ring and into a cell. MOHAMED FARAH Freedom of speech is one thing, but threatening to assassinate both a sitting and former president is no bueno. Mohamed Farah, a Cumberland County man, was indicted by a grand jury after he allegedly threatened to kill President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, if the latter runs for reelection. The 32-year-old native of Somalia can face up to five years in prison for each offense.
ADVERTISING advertising@cityandstatepa.com Senior Sales Executive Michael Fleck mfleck@cityandstatepa.com Sales Executive Frank Feinberg ffeinberg@cityandstatepa.com Media Sales Associate Matt Syrvalin msyrvalin@cityandstatepa.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 Michael Days Board members Keir Bradford-Grey, Samuel Chen, Joseph Hill, Mary Isenhour, Lindy Li, Teresa Lundy, Sharmain Matlock-Turner, Michael Newmuis, Dennis Owens, Bill Peduto, Dave Reed, Al Schmidt, Matt Smith, Paul Steinke, Al Spivey, Brian Tierney, Lauren Vidas, Ray Zaborney
Vol. 2 Issue 7 May 2, 2022 HEALTH CARE POWER 100
The long, strange trip to legalizing marijuana in Pennsylvania
THE KEYSTONED STATE
High Stakes
Who’s running for PA’s House & Senate CIT YANDSTATEPA .COM
@CIT YANDSTATEPA
May 2, 2022
Cover Illustration: Alex Law
CITY & STATE PENNSYLVANIA is published 20 times a year by City & State NY, LLC, 61 Broadway, Suite 1315, New York, NY 10006-2763. Subscriptions: 202.964.1782 or subscribe@cityandstatepa.com Copyright ©2022, City & State NY, LLC.
JARED PIPER/PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL; PA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; COVER: FILO, ROBIN OLIMB/GETTY IMAGES
LOSERS KENYATTA JOHNSON The latest corruption case in Philadelphia ended in a mistrial. That means a sigh of relief for City Council member Kenyatta Johnson and his wife Dawn Chavous, who were facing serious bribery charges. Johnson could’ve been the second City Council member to lose their seat due to corruption in the last year. Federal prosecutors say they’ll retry the couple ASAP.
OUR PICK
OUR PICK
WINNERS
Much like rapper Drake weighing which team to root for next, Philly basketball fans have mixed feelings right about now. Soon after news broke that longtime Villanova head coach Jay Wright was planning on retiring, Sixers fans got to witness Joel Embiid get his revenge with a game-winning shot against the Raptors in Toronto. And now, Embiid is battling a torn ligament in his thumb. The highs and lows of the sporting world are much like those we see in the world of politics.
EDITORIAL editor@cityandstatepa.com Editor-in-Chief Jenny DeHuff jdehuff@cityandstatepa.com Senior Editor Greg Salisbury gsalisbury@cityandstatepa.com Senior Reporter Justin Sweitzer jsweitzer@cityandstatepa.com Staff Reporter Harrison Cann hcann@cityandstatepa.com