An indictment didn’t stop these Philly politicians | Morning Newsletter
And a modern art show in rural Pennsylvania
The Morning Newsletter
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Happy Friday.
Expect mostly cloudy skies and a high of 59 for the Phillies’ home opener.
Former President Donald Trump got arraigned this week. I’m sure you’ve heard.
And he’s still making a third bid for the White House. A politician running for office while under indictment is new for the country, but Philly’s been here before. Eight times, at least.
Our lead story revisits the Philly tradition that dates back more than four decades. 🔑
If you see this 🔑 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.
— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
The biggest national news of the week goes to Donald Trump’s arraignment for paying hush money to suppress talk of his extramarital affairs during his first bid for president.
He’s still running for office.
At least eight Philly politicians didn’t let an indictment stop them either ... but with mixed results
Some examples:
Former U.S. Rep. Michael “Ozzie” Myers was still the Democratic nominee in his district in 1980 as he sought a third term just three months after being convicted on bribery charges related to the ABSCAM scandal. He lost.
Two months after being arrested on corruption charges, State Sen. Leanna Washington lost the Democratic primary in 2014. She ended up taking a plea deal later that year.
Former City Councilmember Bobby Henon coasted to reelection in 2019 after being indicted in January of that year with John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty and other officials from Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Henon, convicted with Dougherty on bribery charges in 2021, is due to start serving a 31/2-year federal prison sentence in 10 days.
Continue reading to learn about the other Philly pols who took the risk. 🔑
What you should know today
Police gave conflicting accounts over what happened at the Fashion District when hundreds of teens gathered Wednesday night. Contrary to earlier reports, no rocks were thrown at officers.
A quarter of Philadelphians don’t speak English at home. Of all the mayoral candidates with websites, only Maria Quiñones Sánchez’s campaign website offers information in Spanish, Chinese and Arabic.
Philly mayoral candidate Amen Brown did not file a financial disclosure by this week’s deadline.
Anonymous “dark money” donors are spending millions in Philly’s mayoral race to support Jeff Brown. 🔑
A Philly judge dismissed the latest appeal from Mumia Abu-Jamal, who has been seeking to overturn his murder conviction for the past 40 years in the fatal shooting of Police Officer Daniel Faulkner.
At last, a Yeadon mom is reunited with her family after nearly two years in immigration limbo in Mexico.
More than 700 seats remain open in Philly magnets after the school district’s readmission fix. 🔑
Here’s your voters guide for the Philadelphia 2023 Democratic primary. We’re less than six weeks away.
Cabin Contemporary is something you’d expect to see in New York City, not on a Schuylkill County Christmas tree farm.
Curator Lance Rautzhan lived in Queens and Baltimore to explore his passion in art.
But he chose his hometown of Pottsville to open “The Devil Made Me Do It” exhibit this past weekend in a tiny white cabin showcasing the work of six multidisciplinary artists.
Pieces include small acrylic paintings of devils and album covers made of latex.
There’s also a film, The Bearwife, that casts images of a woman with lines of fake blood streaked across her torso. She’s in and out of a bearsuit, performing what artist Julia Oldham calls “a ritualistic dance of death in an eerie alternate reality.”
Continue reading to learn the goal of the show and why he wanted it at home.
🧠 Trivia time 🧠
Celebre’s Pizzeria started out just selling tomato pies in the 1960s but soon “invented” Pizzaz, the popular South Philly pizza.
What makes a Pizzaz?
A) Mozzarella cheese, sliced tomatoes, and banana peppers
B) American cheese, sliced tomatoes, and banana peppers
C) American cheese, sliced tomatoes, and sweet peppers
D) None of the above
Find out if you know the answer. 🔑
What we’re...
🏀 Remembering: The Sixers’ 1982-83 championship team. 🔑
📚Reminiscing about: When the Center City Barnes & Noble had a public bathroom, cafe, and couches. The new version is highly curated but it’s just not the same.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram 🧩
Hint: Butter Krak eggs
RITZSEN’
We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here, and would love for you to send us your own original anagram to unscramble. Congratulations to Meaghan Washington, who correctly guessed Thursday’s answer: Bob Perkins. Email us if you know the answer.
Photo of the day
Take on the day. I hope it’s smooth sailing into the weekend. Ashley will drop in to recap your weekend on Sunday. I’ll catch you back in your inbox on Monday. ☀️