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Tag: Pennsylvania

  • Pardon Ends Meek Mill’s Criminal Odyssey On Drug, Gun Fees

    HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Rapper Meek Mill, who spent maximum of his grownup existence on probation following a teenage arrest, celebrated the newest twist in his prison case Friday after he was once pardoned by way of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf.

    “I were given pardoned these days,” the 35-year-old rapper born Robert Williams tweeted, noting he has come some distance.

    Underneath a photograph of the pardon on Instagram, the Philadelphia rapper-turned-entrepreneur, who has been lively in felony justice reform for years, vowed to stay doing extra for his neighborhood.

    Wolf signed his ultimate 369 pardons this week, including to his Pennsylvania document of selection of pardons granted since he took place of job in 2015. Williams was once pardoned of gun and drug fees.

    At a 2008 trial, a pass judgement on discovered Williams accountable of drug and gun fees and sentenced him to about one to 2 years in prison adopted by way of 10 years of probation.

    The case got here to a head in 2017, when the pass judgement on sentenced Williams to 2 to 4 years in jail for violating probation, mentioning a failed drug check, failure to conform to an order proscribing his trip and two unrelated arrests. The pass judgement on issued the ruling regardless of a prosecutor and a probation officer recommending that Williams no longer be incarcerated.

    Williams spent months in jail ahead of he was once launched, and a Pennsylvania appeals court docket overturned his conviction in 2019 as a result of new proof undermined the credibility of the arresting officer. The following month, he pleaded accountable to a misdemeanor gun rate in a deal that resolved the 2007 arrest.

  • Election-Denying Doug Mastriano In spite of everything Concedes, 5 Days After Race Known as

    Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano (R) conceded to his Democratic opponent for the state’s gubernatorial race Sunday, 5 days after he was once projected to lose via more than one information retailers.

    “Tough to just accept as the effects are, there’s no proper route however to concede, which I do, and I glance to the demanding situations forward,” Mastriano stated in a commentary Sunday. “Josh Shapiro will probably be our subsequent Governor, and I ask everybody to offer him the chance to steer and pray that he leads neatly.”

    The concession is notable for Mastriano, who was once recommended via former President Donald Trump and has lengthy unfold unfounded claims of election fraud whilst wondering the legitimacy of the 2020 election that increased Joe Biden to the White Area.

    In November 2020, Mastriano attempted to push via a solution within the state’s GOP-controlled legislature that may have overturned Biden’s win. The plot would have appointed change electors who would have then declared Trump the winner. Mastriano additionally chartered buses for Trump supporters forward of the Jan. 6, 2021 “prevent the thieve” rally that preceded the violent riot on the U.S. Capitol.

    Governor-elect Josh Shapiro spent his marketing campaign portray his Republican fighters as an extremist. He stated previous Sunday he hadn’t but heard from Mastriano however remarked that he didn’t in reality thoughts.

    “I imply, who cares if he calls, proper?” the governor-elect instructed CNN. “He doesn’t get to pick out the winner, the folk select the winner.”

    In his commentary Sunday, Mastriano known as for reforms to Pennsylvania’s electoral machine, announcing citizens deserved to “place confidence in our elections.” Election officers labored to strengthen the vote casting machine forward of the midterms amid unfounded GOP assaults and lies about fraud. They’ve since stated their efforts, together with extra transparency and higher conversation, have labored.

    “In my function as a State Senator, I can do my best to assist Josh Shapiro ship that to Pennsylvanians and, if he does, I can be the primary to recognize and applaud his success,” Mastriano stated Sunday, including that he sought after election effects to be “extra briefly determined.”

  • Oprah Throws Strengthen In the back of Fetterman In Pennsylvania Senate Race, Forsaking Oz.

    Oprah Winfrey threw her improve at the back of Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman in his race for a U.S. Senate seat on Thursday, a big loss for his Republican competitor, Mehmet Oz..

    Winfrey made the feedback all through a digital vote casting tournament with neighborhood leaders Thursday, a part of her OWN Your Vote initiative to inspire Black girls to take part in elections.

    “If I lived in Pennsylvania, I’d’ve already solid my vote for John Fetterman, for plenty of causes,” Winfrey mentioned all through the Zoom name, The nineteenth Information’ Jan Staley reported.

    HuffPost has reached out to Winfrey’s staff for remark.

    The endorsement is a notable shift for Winfrey, an established buddy of Ounceswho helped vault him to nationwide popularity, first of all as physician visitor on her communicate display.

    When she first welcomed Ouncesonto her sunlight hours display in 2004, she referred to him as “The usa’s physician” and gave him a countrywide platform to advertise well being recommendation. She used to be answerable for launching his “Dr. OuncesShow” in 2009 below her Harpo Productions banner, which made Ouncesa family title.

    Winfrey has been rather quiet on Ouncess bid, merely announcing ultimate yr: “Some of the good stuff about our democracy is that each and every citizen can make a decision to run for public place of job.”

    “Mehmet Ounceshas made that call,” she mentioned on the time. “And now it’s as much as the citizens of Pennsylvania to make a decision who will constitute them.”

    Ounceshas mentioned he requested Winfrey to “keep out” of the race and to not “improve me” as a result of he didn’t need her to get harm.

    On Thursday, Winfrey mentioned she supported many Democrats working across the country, together with Rep. Val Demings, who’s working for a Senate seat in Florida; Beto O’Rourke, difficult the Texas governor; and, in Georgia, Sen. Raphael Warnock, who’s working for reelection, and Stacey Abrams, who’s in the hunt for the governorship.

    “If we don’t display as much as vote, if we don’t get fired up on this second, the individuals who will likely be in energy will start making choices for us,” Oprah mentioned all through the development, consistent with Nowadays. “Selections about how we handle our our bodies, how we handle our children, what books your kids can learn, who will get safe via the police and who will get centered.”

    “And presently, you’ve gotten a say in these items we do,” she added.

  • Dr. Oz. Says Abortion Must Be Between Girls, Medical doctors And… Native Politicians

    Mehmet Oz., the Republican nominee for a U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania, stated Tuesday that discussions about abortion get right of entry to must be left to girls, medical doctors and “native political leaders.”

    Oz. made the feedback right through his first and best debate in opposition to Democratic rival John Fetterman, who’s the state’s lieutenant governor.

    “There must no longer be involvement from the government in how states make a decision their abortion choices,” Oz. stated Tuesday. “As a health care provider, I’ve been within the room when there’s some tough conversations going down. I don’t need the government concerned with that in any respect.”

    He added: “I would like ladies, medical doctors, native political leaders, letting the democracy that’s all the time allowed our country to thrive, hanging the most efficient concepts ahead so states can make a decision for themselves.”

    The remark sparked consternation from well being care teams, that have lengthy argued such choices must be saved between sufferers and their medical doctors.

    Oz. has walked a superb line along with his anti-abortion stance all over the marketing campaign in hopes of interesting to reasonable Pennsylvanians. Leaked audio from previous this yr, on the other hand, sparked controversy after Oz. was once recorded announcing abortion at any level of being pregnant was once “nonetheless homicide.”

    The doctor has since stated there must be no legal consequences for medical doctors or ladies surrounding abortion, and his marketing campaign added that he helps exceptions for sufferers of rape or incest, or if the well being of the mummy is at risk.

    A moderator requested Oz. to elaborate, wondering how he would vote at the national abortion ban proposed via Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and different Republicans. That invoice would ban the process after 15 weeks of being pregnant, essentially the most dramatic effort up to now after the U.S. Very best Courtroom overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade determination in June.

    Oz. alluded that he’d vote no, even if he went on to mention a neighborhood legislation that banned abortion in a similar way could be OK. Abortion in Pennsylvania is these days criminal as much as 24 weeks.

    “Any invoice that violates what I stated, which is the government interfering with the state rule on abortion, I might vote in opposition to,” Oz. stated. “What I think strongly about is that girls in Pennsylvania perceive what I’m announcing.”

    Fetterman, who has steadily lambasted Oz. for his stance on abortion rights, stated he believed the process was once a “common proper for all ladies in The us.”

    “I consider abortion is well being care, and I consider that could be a selection that belongs with every girl and her physician,” he stated at Tuesday’s debate.

  • Guy On Mehmet Oz. Panel Says He is Swayed Away From GOP Candidate

    A Pennsylvania restoration counselor stated that his participation on a contemporary panel with Mehmet Oz., the state’s Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, used to be sufficient to be “swayed away” from vote casting for him.

    Justyn Patton, an authorized restoration specialist for DreamLife Restoration PA, used to be a member of an Oz. “More secure Streets Neighborhood Dialogue” panel within the Town of Johnstown on Tuesday, The Tribune-Democrat reported.

    Johnston is positioned in Cambria County, which has ranked some of the counties in Pennsylvania with the perfect per-capita overdose deaths, the newspaper stated.

    Oz. spoke to the panel – which featured docs and restoration pros – about the issue of unlawful medicine within the U.S. together with the motion of potent, China-sourced artificial opioid fentanyl coming in from the U.S.–Mexico border, the newspaper reported.

    Cambria County District Attorney Greg Neugebauer, right, talks to Dr. Mehmet Oz, Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, on what he deals with as a district attorney dealing with drug related crimes during a Safer Streets Community Discussion on Tuesday.
    Cambria County District Lawyer Greg Neugebauer, proper, talks to Dr. Mehmet Oz., Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, on what he offers with as a district legal professional coping with drug similar crimes all over a More secure Streets Neighborhood Dialogue on Tuesday.

    Todd Berkey/The Tribune-Democrat by way of AP

    Oz., who’s operating towards Democratic opponent John Fetterman for a seat within the U.S. Senate, claimed there’s been a dramatic building up in fentanyl coming around the border, including that cops have confiscated extra fentanyl than they did two years in the past.

    Patton identified the GOP candidate’s declare about drug trafficking earlier than additionally pointing to the pharmaceutical business for its hand within the disaster years earlier than.

    He later instructed ABC’s senior White Space correspondent Mary Bruce that he didn’t listen a plan from Oz. and claimed the candidate addressed “the similar previous” issues on detox and securing the border.

    Patton, who stated he got here into the panel as an unsure voter, stated the development modified his thoughts.

    “You simply spent about an hour on a panel with Dr. Oz. and that swayed you clear of him?” Bruce requested.

    “Completely, completely,” stated Patton, who described himself as “insulted.”

    You’ll watch a clip from the panel, and Bruce’s interview with Patton, beneath.

  • Mehmet Oz. Busted: Black Girl He ‘Comforted’ At Match Was once Reportedly An Aide

    The marketing campaign for Mehmet Oz., a Pennsylvania Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, reportedly didn’t tell media retailers, together with The Related Press, {that a} Black lady at a “group dialogue” in September used to be if truth be told the marketing campaign’s Philadelphia County coordinator, The Intercept reported.

    Oz. spoke with Sheila Armstrong, who had shared a photograph figuring out her as a marketing campaign aide in June, and comforted her as she described the capturing deaths of her brother and nephew, a number of Philadelphia-area information retailers reported.

    The Related Press highlighted the development in a tale this week and described “chairs organized a little like [Dr. Oz’s] former daylight hours TV display set” and the candidate asking Armstrong how she copes with the tragic deaths.

    Brendan McPhillips, the marketing campaign supervisor for Oz.’s Democratic opponent, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, tweeted this week that the AP tale didn’t observe that Armstrong used to be “a paid staffer” and that data with the Federal Election Fee again up his statement that the Oz. marketing campaign paid her , The Intercept mentioned.

    Armstrong, who admitted she arranged and wrangled RSVPs forward of the Oz. marketing campaign tournament, used to be at the marketing campaign’s payroll, incomes greater than $2,000 on the finish of June, consistent with FEC information.

    Not one of the Philadelphia media retailers famous Armstrong’s ties to the marketing campaign, in accordance The Intercept, and the AP later up to date its tale to say her ties.

    “Once AP realized of Armstrong’s marketing campaign association and showed it, we up to date our tale,” a spokesperson for the scoop twine carrier informed The Intercept.

    The Philadelphia Inquirer has additionally up to date its tale to handle Armstrong’s involvement within the Oz. marketing campaign, consistent with The Intercept.

    The Oz. marketing campaign additionally allegedly didn’t lengthen a call for participation to Fetterman to wait the “group dialogue,” which Pennsylvania state Rep. Chris Rabb (D), who attended in protest, described as a “pretend the town corridor,” regardless of Armstrong’s on-video declare that she had invited Fetterman.

    HuffPost has reached out to representatives of the Oz. marketing campaign and Armstrong for additional remark.

  • Mehmet Ounces Responds To Fetterman Tweet With A In reality Crappy Retort

    Mehmet Ounces attempted to troll John Fetterman’s assault tweets with a “Shawshank Redemption” reference Wednesday — however it all went down the bathroom.

    The previous TV physician and present Pennsylvania Senate candidate attacked his Democratic opponent for now not liberating his scientific data relating to his stroke previous this yr.

    “For the ones holding observe at house, this refusal marks 15 occasions as of late that he has dodged questions on requests to liberate data. What’s he hiding?” Ounces tweeted.

    Fetterman temporarily clapped again by way of noting that the video Ounces featured within the tweet used to be from an interview that Ounces declined to take part in.

    “You skipped this interview. I confirmed up. Which of your 10 basements have been you hiding out in as of late?” Fetterman requested.

    Ounces answered with a GIF of Morgan Freeman from “The Shawshank Redemption” announcing, “I don’t give a shit,” in conjunction with a YouTube hyperlink appearing a clip from a up to date NBC Information interview with Fetterman.

    Within the clip, Fetterman is discussing the concept that of redemption for the ones in jail because it pertains to Freeman’s personality within the movie. The Democratic Senate candidate, who has been open about auditory processing difficulties whilst improving from his stroke, stumbles over some phrases.

    Ounces and his fellow Republicans have long gone at the assault over his opponent’s well being, whilst incapacity advocates say that wondering Fetterman’s political health over requiring lodging like closed captioning in interviews is discriminatory.

    It used to be arduous to inform what message Ounces used to be looking to ship: Did he now not “give a shit” about doing interviews with in-state media? Did he now not “give a shit” about Fetterman’s interview? And, maximum essential, did he now not “give a shit” about profitable the election?

    It gave the impression immediately out of the combined messages guide pioneered by way of Melania Trump when she wore her notorious jacket with the word “I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” whilst visiting migrant youngsters.

    The Ounces marketing campaign didn’t provide an explanation for what their candidate did “now not give a shit” about, whether or not it used to be redemption or Fetterman’s hobby in “The Shawshank Redemption,” however pointed once more to the YouTube hyperlink in Ounces’s tweet.

    Nonetheless, Twitter customers had ideas concerning the shitty retort.

  • Kellyanne Conway Smoked For ‘Gaslighting’ Everybody With Brazen Marijuana Lie

    Former White Space adviser Kellyanne Conway is pushing choice information once more.

    Throughout an look on Fox Information on Monday, the notoriously cheating Donald Trump best friend attacked Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman for his outspoken stance on hashish legalization.

    As lieutenant governor of the state, Fetterman final 12 months flew pro-marijuana and rainbow flags from the balcony of his place of job, rankling Republicans.

    “No longer best has he now not … labored an afternoon in his existence, Sean, he hasn’t labored an afternoon as lieutenant governor,” Conway advised Fox Information’ Sean Hannity, who had offered the phase by way of mocking Fetterman’s difficulties with speech since he suffered a stroke in Would possibly.

    “He put the marijuana flag up. He concept that used to be humorous. He’s trolling his opponent,” Conway added. “Right here’s what’s now not humorous: That there was a doubling of overdose deaths in Pennsylvania.”

    There has now not been a doubling of marijuana overdose deaths in Pennsylvania.

    In line with the Pennsylvania Place of business of Drug Surveillance and Misuse Prevention, there used to be a three% uptick in drug overdose fatalities from 2020 to 2021, the huge majority of which in touch fentanyl or opioids. No marijuana overdose deaths had been reported by way of the place of job.

    National information additionally contradicts her declare. A graph by way of the Facilities for Illness Regulate and Prevention appearing U.S. drug-involved overdose deaths from 1999 to 2020 presentations no figures for marijuana overdose.

    Nationwide Heart for Well being Statistics (NCHS) on the Facilities for Illness Regulate and Prevention

    Conway, who as soon as famously coined the time period “choice information” to explain the Trump management’s spin, used to be trending on Twitter over her latest falsehood.

    It triggered some to throw again to 2017, when Conway made up a bloodbath in Bowling Inexperienced, Kentucky, to justify former President Donald Trump’s extremely debatable immigration ban.

    Scroll to peer what tweeters needed to say:

  • Dr. Oz. Unintentionally Offers Fetterman An Superior New Slogan As Insult Backfires

    Republican Senate candidate Mehmet Oz. can have given Democratic rival John Fetterman but any other unintended reward ― this time with a intended insult that sounds extra like a praise, particularly in Pennsylvania.

    Fetterman, Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor, continuously wears a hoodie ― one thing Oz. turns out to search out unacceptable, albeit for a curious reason why.

    “When he attire like that, it’s no longer an coincidence,” Oz. stated at the “Ruthless” podcast closing week. “He’s kicking authority within the balls. He’s pronouncing, ‘I’m the person. I’ll display the ones guys who’s boss.’”

    The feedback have been shared on Twitter via PatriotTakes, which screens right-wing media:

    Oz. and his crew have dedicated a sequence of unforced mistakes during the marketing campaign, comparable to a video of Oz. griping concerning the top worth of “crudité” whilst botching the title of a loved regional grocery store chain.

    “In PA we name this a … veggie tray,” Fetterman fired again on Twitter.

    After Fetterman suffered a stroke previous this 12 months, Oz., a physician who used to host a TV display, made a marketing campaign factor of his well being ― and one marketing campaign aide brazenly mocked Fetterman for it, which likewise backfired.

    Now he’s accusing Fetterman of “kicking authority within the balls,” one thing critics famous may well be precisely what citizens need… particularly in hardscrabble Pennsylvania:

  • Armed Guy Arrested After Pointing out Trump ‘President King’ At Dairy Queen

    An armed Donald Trump supporter who informed law enforcement officials he sought after to revive the “President King of america” was once arrested at a Dairy Queen in Pennsylvania, the place he stated he sought after to kill Democrats and liberals, WTAJ-TV reported.

    Jan Stawovy, 61, was once arrested with no fight on a couple of legal fees, in line with police in Delmont. A number of other people have been throughout the rapid meals eating place on the time.

    Stawovy, dressed in a yellow protection vest and rainbow wig, was once armed with a loaded .40-caliber pistol when officials arrived Saturday to research a motorist’s file of an erratic motive force pulling into the Dairy Queen, police stated. He declared he was once “undercover with Pennsylvania State Police running on a big drug sting,” in line with WPXI-TV.

    Stawovy yelled profanities at officials and known as himself a prophet who will “kill all of the Democrats as a result of Trump was once nonetheless president.” He claimed he was once “running to revive Trump to President King of america,” in line with police.

    A Dairy Queen supervisor reportedly informed police Stawovy visited the eatery previous and positioned $120 at the counter as a tip for “non-Democrats.”

    Police stated they seized two different weapons and ammunition from Stawovy’s automotive.