Emmons announces run for Congress

John Emmons Businessman John Emmons announced his candidacy for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, Wednesday. Speaking to a group of more than 100 supporters at the VFW Hall in Parkesburg, Emmons kicked off his campaign: “The 2020 election will be a fight for the soul of our country, and as most of you know, I’m not afraid of a fight. We need strong, unwavering...

Rep. Houlahan: It’s time to start the impeachment inquiry

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times You may or may not have heard much about the testimony of former FBI Director and Special Counsel Robert Mueller this past week before Congress. While many in the media seem fixated on the optics — Mueller wasn’t showy, and demurred on answering a number of questions — for those who paid attention (and read his 400-page plus report), it is increasingly evident...

Don’t blame Trump for all of this chaos

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times I remember taking my mother to the hospital in December of 1992. X-rays showed a mass in her lung. By June, 1993, she was gone. We blamed the cancer. But in truth, it was all those years of smoking Pall Mall Gold 100s — as a kid, she used send me down to the local deli to pick up a couple of packs, which she smoked every day until about five years before she died,...

Costello’s withdrawal leaves GOP in a tough spot

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Well, okay, then. By now those of you following local politics know that U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello announced he would not seek reelection and then withdrew from the May 15 primary. He’s been on TV and offered print interviews blaming President Donald Trump, liberals, redistricting and so on as being to blame. Whatever. Regardless of the why, Costello’s departure...

New Congressional maps are a karma bomb for GOP

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Republicans across the state of Pennsylvania are howling mad and running to the courts seeking assistance. Karma is a bitch, right? It seems like they may have to compete on a fair Congressional map — not the 2011 map that was among the most Gerrymandered maps in the entire country — and they don’t like it one bit.

Moro declares run for 6th District

Elizabeth Moro Democratic Congressional candidate Elizabeth Moro has announced that she will seek her party’s nomination and endorsement in the 6th Congressional District. On Monday, February 19th, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court released newly drawn congressional districts after ruling that the previous map ‘clearly, plainly, and palpably’ flouted the state Constitution. Moro, who had formerly...

Parkland slaughter should hit home in Chester County

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times If you had a pit in the stomach this morning when you sent your kids off to school, you were probably not alone. I certainly did. Yesterday’s mass shooting in Parkland, Florida should hit home for folks here in Chester County. Like so many of our community high schools, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is in an affluent suburb. The school has an average SAT score...

Letter: Thoughts and prayers are not enough

To The Editor, By now you have heard the sad but all too familiar news of another mass school shooting. This is the 18th school shooting of the year and it’s only February. It seems that our politicians only response to these horrific acts of violence is to offer thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families. While thoughts and prayers are well intended, it is action that is needed to...

Wolf rejects GOP redistricting plan; court may impose new map, Monday

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times As expected, Gov. Tom Wolf rejected the new Congressional map proposed by the two Republican caucus leaders, which could lead to the state Supreme Court imposing a district map of its own Monday, leading to possible federal litigation. The previous Gerrymandering of Congressional districts hit hardest in the Philadelphia suburbs, including Chester County, where both...

PA Supreme Court throws out Congressional district maps

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times The Pennsylvania Supreme Court If you felt a certain fondness for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has bad news for you: after a 4-3 ruling by the court Monday, it’s gone — and will be replaced by a newly shaped district by mid-February. A majority of the justices ruled that the 2011 redistricting “clearly, plainly and...