Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced he’s running for Governor this week. On Tuesday, he chose to cozy up to some of the fringe activists in his party while turning his back on Pennsylvania’s hard-working union members to make his announcement for the highest office in the state.
Judging by the scene at the press conference, Shapiro should have traded in his suit and tie for some birkenstocks and patchouli. Yes, running for governor has been the worst kept secret in recent years, which is no wonder that he’s using his office to boost his political endeavors.
On Monday, Shapiro was forced to cancel a hurriedly scheduled press conference due to disorganization in his office. On Tuesday, he tried again, locking arms with the likes of State Representative Danielle Friel Otten, to announce his intention to relitigate construction woes that have already been settled.
Ever heard of “Double Jeopardy”? Josh Shapiro apparently missed the day they discussed this in law school.
Danielle Friel Otten is viewed by her colleagues as the far fringes of the Pennsylvania State House. She hasn’t been shy about her vitriol for Pennsylvania’s union workers in committee hearings, even going as far as comparing them to Nazis. Some of us thought society was beyond such tasteless rhetoric, but then again, when you don’t have anything intelligent to say, this is where she goes.
Yes, Josh Shapiro is currying favor with the bottom of the barrel.
The press conference was great theater and included a random tie-dyed kayaker photo-bombing his big moment. We’ve been told for a year that kayaking on the lake was dangerous due to environmental concerns by the likes of Friel Otten, but it appears the water was fine on Tuesday.
Shapiro and his office seem to have spent months looking for anything they can find to go after Pennsylvania’s energy industry and as best we can tell, they essentially copied another department’s work, passing it off as their own. Our kids are taught to do their own homework, a principle that appears to be lost on the current AG.
Reading through Shapiro’s “presentment,” where is the new information? Where are the new claims? As best as can be gleaned, these are all instances of construction woes already settled between the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the pipeline developer. In fact, the developer has already paid fines to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for these charges.
Who would want to invest in Pennsylvania when our politicians use the extreme levers of government to punish industries and companies they find politically expedient at any given time?
While Pennsylvania is the second largest natural gas producer in the country, we can’t get the product to market in a safe and efficient way and the commonwealth’s politicians and regulators are entirely to blame.
The Atlantic Coast Pipeline has been cancelled. The Constitution Pipeline has been cancelled. The Penn East Pipeline has been cancelled. Why? Politicians and regulators continue to rewrite the rules to do business in the commonwealth.
What is Shapiro doing with these frivolous charges…….rewriting the rules to do business in the commonwealth.
And who will be negatively impacted?
- Pennsylvanian’s who need access to affordable and reliable energy.
- Workers whose livelihoods are jeopardized by these types of political stunts.
Shapiro will undoubtedly be asking labor unions not just for their vote, but for their money during his campaign. This week however, he seems to be prioritizing the anti-union activists like Friel Otten. Philadelphia is in the midst of a major crime problem with hundreds of shooting deaths to date, but instead of working to solve real problems, the AG wants to shutdown a pipeline.