This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

State Rep. John Lawrence, a Republican from Chester County, will oversee an investigation into Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and crime in the city at large after being appointed chair of the House Select Committee on Restoring Law and Order. It’s a big appointment for Lawrence, who said he will begin the committee’s work with no predetermined outcomes in mind. “The committee will review the facts and follow them wherever they lead,” he said.

If this whole politician thing doesn’t work out, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman might have some future career opportunities as a fundraiser, given his ability to rake in money for his campaign. In the most recent fundraising period, Fetterman pulled in $11 million, the most a Senate candidate has raised in state history, according to a report from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. As a result of his financial success, Fetterman probably feels pretty good heading into November right now.

If you’re a stressed city dweller like those mentioned above, we’ve got good news. Cindy Dunn, secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, will soon select three new state parks that were approved as part of the 2022-2023 state budget. Gov. Tom Wolf announced this week that the commonwealth will be making its first additions to its state park system since 2005, bringing the total number of state parks in Pennsylvania to 124.

Doug Mastriano, Pennsylvania’s Republican gubernatorial nominee, is under fire this week over his connections to a right-wing social media platform that was used to espouse anti-Semitic content by the man accused of perpetrating the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue shooting in 2018. Mastriano paid the platform $5,000 in April for consulting services, according to a campaign finance report, and appeared in an interview with Gab CEO Andrew Torba in May. Torba told WESA that the payment was for an advertising campaign.

Nicholas Perkins may not be able to enjoy his new Alabama home for much longer. The Wellsboro, Pennsylvania man has been charged with wire fraud, unlawful monetary transactions, bank fraud and making false loan applications after he allegedly used $420,000 in COVID-19 relief funds to buy a home in Alabama. Though, if he’s ultimately convicted, Perkins may be forced to forfeit the home.

If the police vs. firefighter softball games weren’t heated before, they could be now. Corey Cole Jr., a former Allentown police officer, was sentenced to 22 months to 10 years this week after he admitted he took $315,000 from the Fireman’s Relief Fund Association of Lehigh Township. Cole, who was treasurer of the fund, reportedly used some funds to shop, make car payments and attend a football game. Luckily, the association plans to recover all the lost funds.