This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

Move over, Gene. There’s a new sheriff in town. At least there will be when Luke Bernstein takes over as the next president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry on June 15. In all seriousness, Gene Barr, the chamber’s outgoing leader, said he “couldn’t be more pleased” with the selection of Bernstein, who he said will “boldly lead the commonwealth’s business community into its next successful chapter.”

 In today’s Republican Party, the endorsement of former President Donald Trump has become a highly-sought prize that candidates wear as a badge of honor. Congressional candidate Jim Bognet emerged victorious in the race for Trump’s endorsement in the 8th Congressional District, and Bognet is hoping that the support will propel him to victory on May 17.

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey fulfilled a campaign promise this week by signing legislation that expands so-called inclusionary zoning in two Pittsburgh neighborhoods. The policy will require at least 10% of units in new housing developments in Bloomfield and Polish Hill to be made affordable housing, a move that Gainey said will help create better neighborhoods. Gainey also hinted that he’s exploring inclusionary zoning policies for the entire city.

Will Donald Trump’s endorsement of Dr. Mehmet Oz turn out to be a blessing or a curse? We’ll find out the answer to that question soon enough, but in the meantime, the endorsement is serving as an attack magnet, leading Oz’s primary opponents to direct their ire toward the celebrity physician. Oz is also receiving pushback from GOP county chairs, who fear that he would be less of a maverick and more of a RINO in the Senate. 

Yes, we just referenced RINO hunters. No, we’re not talking about the crocodile hunter here. Democratic congressional candidate Steve Irwin, however, probably feels like he’s being hunted after Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey joined other Democrats in calling for Irwin to denounce attack ads against his primary opponent, state Rep. Summer Lee. This might not be the outback, but things are getting wild in the state’s 12th Congressional District. 

We want to start this one off with a note to our readers: Don’t push a large metal object into police officers. Doing it to police officers who were trying to protect against an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol? An even worse idea. Marshall Neefe, of Newville, Cumberland County, has been charged with doing just that on Jan. 6, 2021, resulting in charges of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers. Neefe also allegedly created a wooden club that he dubbed “The Commie Knocker” designed to “crack some commie skulls.” You can’t make this stuff up.