Thursday: Freeh, health care, voter ID
Good morning.
The big news statewide today will be the Louis Freeh report on the Penn State/Sandusky scandal, available here or on the P-G homepage. Pittsburgh's 93.7 The Fan is covering the report and Freeh's 10 a.m. presser in Philadelphia.
In politics, Tracie Mauriello has the story on the latest House GOP health bill repeal. The issue is certain to be a big deal in the Critz/Rothfus congressional race, so here's the statement from Critz (who joined all but 5 Dems in voting nay):
“Americans’ top priority remains job creation. Instead of working to fix our economy and to create jobs, House Republicans are wasting time on legislation that will not pass the Senate or be signed into law.
“I opposed the healthcare bill when it passed and I voted to get rid of the individual mandate and the tax on medical devices. I oppose on the Independent Payment Advisory Board – an unelected board of bureaucrats that could cut Medicare benefits. But, as I’ve said before, it would be wrong and irresponsible for Congress to go backwards and allow insurance companies to deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions, to kick young adults off their parents’ health insurance plans, or to re-open the ‘doughnut hole’ which will force seniors to pay more for medicine.
“Let’s stop the political games and start working together to fix this law and pass legislation that will create jobs.”
The P-G is suing in federal court to take photos inside polling places this election day, due to voter ID worries. From Rich Lord:
The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, authored by attorney Frederick N. Frank, said that in 2008, the newspaper sued in Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, resulting in a court order allowing photography around, but not inside, polling places.
This year, in light of the implementation for the first time of voter identification laws, the Post-Gazette asked the county for permission to photograph and video tape "on a limited basis" at polls. The newspaper wants to gather images of people signing in and showing identification, but not of people actually casting votes.