This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey has won the backing of several major labor unions in Western Pennsylvania, including the United Steelworkers, SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers and the United Food and Commercial Workers, among others, according to a report from Patch. The endorsements come as Gainey faces a primary challenge from Allegheny County Controller and fellow Democrat Corey O’Connor.

With overwhelming bipartisan support, House lawmakers approved the CROWN Act – legislation from state Rep. La’Tasha Mayes and House Speaker Joanna McClinton that would prohibit discrimination based on a person’s hairstyle or hair type. The bill passed with a vote of 194-8; if it is signed into law, Pennsylvania would join more than 25 other states in banning hairstyle-based discrimination.

Attorney General David Sunday nominated Darryl Lawrence to permanently serve in the post as commonwealth’s consumer advocate. Lawrence, who has been with the office since June 2005, had been serving in an interim capacity since February, representing the interests of Pennsylvania utility ratepayers.

The news keeps getting worse for Penn State, a system already reeling from  declines in funding and enrollment. On top of the news that up to a dozen branch campuses will close to stabilize the system, the university revealed this week that its graduate programs,  engineering college and several programs for academically advanced students all saw deep budget cuts as well.

Pennsylvania’s lawful permanent residents felt a collective shudder this week on hearing that six green card holders – all living in the Capital Region and nationals of Bhutan, a country listed under the new federal travel ban – were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Permanent(ish) residents were already nervous due to ICE’s recent detention of Columbia University pro-Palestinian protest leader Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder the Trump administration is seeking to deport.

The bucking brand has been bolstered. U.S. Sen John Fetterman was among the first Democrats to publicly back the congressional Republican funding bill, arguing that a shutdown would only strengthen Trump’s hand. Fetterman, alongside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, is now facing even more backlash from Democratic voters who say they want the party to stand up against the GOP majority. Will the real John Fetterman please stand up?