A fight over voter records | Morning Newsletter
And a federal investigation targets abuse by teachers.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Good morning, everyone! Be prepared for another scorcher, with highs expected to be around 99 degrees.
Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt said the state will not hand over voter rolls to the federal government in response to a threatening Department of Justice letter. Schmidt stressed that the state was not in violation of any voting regulations.
And The U.S. Department of Education is cracking down on sexual abuse by teachers with investigations into public school districts. Among those under investigation are the Cheltenham and Gloucester Township School Districts.
Plus, the Southeast Asian Market in FDR Park will be open this weekend despite recent storm damage, and more news of the day.
— Sam Stewart (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.
Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt stressed that the state was not in violation of any voting regulations in a response letter to a Department of Justice inquiry that threatened criminal charges over suspicions of noncitizen voting.
The letter pushed back against the Trump administration’s insistence that allowing federal assistance in inspecting of voter rolls was the best way to avoid criminal prosecution for “aiding and abetting the violation” of federal voting laws. Schmidt’s reply made it clear that Pennsylvania would not hand over voter rolls to the federal government and reiterated that voting regulations were followed meticulously.
The DOJ letter comes after President Donald Trump’s long history of spreading voter-fraud conspiracy theories and falsely claiming that he won the 2020 election.
Pennsylvania officials have warned since last year that turning over the voter rolls to the federal government without redactions could put sensitive information at risk.
The Cheltenham School District is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education as federal officials target sexual misconduct by teachers that they say schools nationally have been too lax in addressing.
Cheltenham is one of 20 public school districts under investigation by the DOE’s Office for Civil Rights based on responses the districts provided to a federal civil rights data collection survey in 2023-24. The responses “suggest that districts might not be addressing staff on student sexual misconduct appropriately,” the Education Department said in a statement Friday.
The Gloucester Township School District in Camden County is also under investigation, according to a list obtained by ProPublica.
The investigations were announced as part of a broader initiative by the Education Department “to protect students from adult sexual predators in schools,” with guidance sent to all school districts outlining federal legal requirements for responding to sexual harassment and abuse.
The Inquirer’s Maddie Hanna has the full story.
What you should know today
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has temporarily instructed officers to refrain from making traffic-stop arrests in most cases, according to several people with knowledge of the directive, a policy shift spurred by a pair of fatal shootings involving officers who fired into vehicles over the last week.
Gov. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday visited Vare-Washington Elementary School in South Philadelphia to tout the $678 million in new education funding included in the state budget deal finalized over the weekend.
A Malvern man was sentenced to more than three years in prison for having a collection of homemade bombs at his house — a discovery police made after he was arrested for bringing guns to a “No Kings” protest in West Chester last year.
A United Kingdom man who was shot and killed while doing contracting work in Roxborough last week was a member of the so-called Traveling Conmen criminal organization and was not authorized to be in the country, officials with the Department of Homeland Security said.
As details emerge on the personalized video that Bryce Harper says he unknowingly recorded on behalf of FanDuel for a sports-gambling addict, Major League Baseball is confident that the Phillies star didn’t violate any league policies. “I think the important thing is that Bryce’s activity was not a violation of the basic agreement,” commissioner Rob Manfred said Tuesday.
Genetic testing company 23andMe and a group of attorneys general nationwide have reached a multimillion-dollar settlement following the major data breach that led to the company’s demise three years ago. More than 40 attorneys general, including Pennsylvania‘s Dave Sunday, announced the national $18 million settlement with the genetic testing company.
Quote of the day
Tom Burgoyne had long insisted that he’s not the Phanatic. He’s the Phanatic’s best friend. But now a new documentary has convinced Burgoyne, the man behind the mascot, to admit he’s so much more.
🧠 Trivia time
Tideline, Margate’s latest bayside restaurant, just added an eyebrow-raising cocktail to the “House Favorites” drink menu. The Liquid Asset consists of top-shelf tequila, a big ice cube, and a red chili pepper, and comes with a custom-built 39-foot speedboat.
How much does the new menu item cost?
A) $10 million
B) $1,100
C) $1.1 million
D) $1
Think you know? Check your answer.
What (and whom) we’re …
🏡 Gushing about: A 19th-century, four-bedroom home in Chestnut Hill. The 1,520-square-foot house is listed for $699,900.
⚾ Booing: Everyone who’s not a Phillie! And according to columnist Stephanie Farr, people have to get over it.
⛈️ Impressed by: The Southeast Asian Market in FDR Park. Though most vendors sustained significant damage due to storm microbursts, the market will carry on this weekend.
🤩 Star-struck over: The best looks from the MLB All-Star Game red carpet. Everyone came dressed to impress.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Food chain known for its doughnuts and fried chicken
ADORNED FLUTES
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Michelle Farzetta, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Louis Tomlinson. The former One Direction member was meant to perform at Philadelphia’s Mann Center for Performing Arts over the weekend, but couldn’t because of severe weather. Some fans were devastated.
Photo of the day
👋 Have a good day, folks! Stay cool.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
