Pennsylvania State News

Acting Secret Service director says he's 'ashamed' after the Trump assassination attempt

Updated 46 mins ago

The Secret Service’s acting director has told lawmakers he considered it indefensible that the roof used by the gunman in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump was unsecured. He also says it's regrettable that local law enforcement had not advised his agency that a gunman had been spotted on a nearby roof. Acting director Ronald Rowe also testified Tuesday that he recently visited the shooting site and laid down on the roof of the building where shots were fired in order to evaluate the gunman’s line of sight during the July 13 shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania casinos ask court to force state to tax skill games found in stores equally to slots

Updated 57 mins ago

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The owners of twelve Pennsylvania casinos have asked the state's highest court to declare that a tax on slot machine revenue is unconstitutional because the state doesn't impose it broadly on cash-paying electronic game terminals known as skill games that can be found …

With the funeral behind them, family of the firefighter killed at the Trump rally begins grieving

Updated 1 hr ago

The funeral is over. The crowds have left. Now the hard work of grieving is beginning for the family of the firefighter who was shot and killed at a rally for former President Donald Trump. Corey Comperatore’s sister, Dawn Comperatore Schafer, is mad at the scammers trying to collect money on their behalf fraudulently. Mostly, though, she is shattered. She said the family got through the funeral with the love and support of thousands of people. But, she added, it doesn’t stop after that. She said they are trying to get out of the noise, even amid the hearings to try to figure out what happened that day.

Who's No. 2? Here are the top Democrats who could be a running mate for Kamala Harris

Updated 1 hr ago

As support coalesces around Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party's nominee for president, the conversation has turned to a potential running mate. Among the leading contenders are three governors — Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Roy Cooper of North Carolina and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania — and one senator, Mark Kelly of Arizona. Harris is acting quickly to lock up Democratic delegates behind her campaign for the White House and try to secure the nomination.

The Democratic contest to be Harris' running mate will likely be decided in the next week

Updated 1 hr ago

Democratic governors and other officials under consideration to be Kamala Harris’ vice presidential running mate are practicing a time-honored tradition in presidential campaigns. They’re walking the line between open self-promotion and loyal advocacy for the potential boss in what amounts to unofficial auditions. Three people familiar with the vice president’s plans said Tuesday that she and her yet-to-be-named running mate would begin traveling to battleground states next week — suggesting that a decision could be coming soon. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro campaigned for Harris on Monday outside Philadelphia, and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear campaigned over the weekend in Georgia. Harris is said to also be considering Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, among others.

FBI: Social media account believed to belong to Trump rally shooter espoused political violence, had antisemitic posts

Updated 7 hrs ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI: Social media account believed to belong to Trump rally shooter espoused political violence, had antisemitic posts.

Acting Secret Service director says he 'cannot defend' why roof used by gunman in Trump rally shooting was not secured

Updated 7 hrs ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Acting Secret Service director says he 'cannot defend' why roof used by gunman in Trump rally shooting was not secured.

Trump agrees to be interviewed as part of an investigation into his assassination attempt, FBI says

Updated 22 hrs ago

The FBI says former President Donald Trump has agreed to be interviewed as part of its investigation into his attempted assassination in Pennsylvania. A special agent said Monday the expected interview with the 2024 Republican presidential nominee is part of the FBI’s standard protocol to speak with victims of federal crimes during investigations. The FBI says Trump was struck by a bullet or bullet fragment during the July 13 assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The FBI disclosed the planned conversation with Trump as it revealed new details about the gunman, including internet searches that reveal an interest in mass shootings and the attempted assassination this year of Slovakia’s prime minister.

Pennsylvania congressman chosen to lead House task force investigating Trump assassination attempt

Updated Jul 29, 2024

Republican Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania will lead a House task force charged with investigating the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. Kelly was appointed leader of the effort on Monday. Kelly was present at the Trump rally and his congressional district includes the city of Butler, where the attack occurred. The 13 lawmakers appointed to the task force by House leaders have backgrounds in law enforcement, legal affairs and the military. The lawmakers are expected to issue a final report on the attack before Dec. 13 and will have the authority to issue subpoenas as they conduct their investigation.

Pennsylvania man arrested after breaking into electrical vault in Connecticut state office building

Jul 29, 2024

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Police are investigating why a man with a Pennsylvania address broke into a high voltage electrical vault in the basement of the Connecticut State Office Building, home to the state's constitutional officers, and turned off circuit breakers.

Wildfire smoke may be worse for your brain than other air pollution, study says

Updated Jul 29, 2024

Wildfire smoke may be worse for your brain health than other air pollution. New research links it to an increased risk of dementia. The findings come as millions spent the weekend under air quality warnings from wildfires spewing smoke across the western U.S. Researchers tracked 10 years of health records from older adults in southern California along with their long-term exposure to tiny pollution particles. The odds of a dementia diagnosis were higher with exposure to wildfire particles than from other sources of that pollution. The report came Monday at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Philadelphia.