News Clips

Khalif Ali, Executive Director of Common Cause PA says many are hopeful they pick someone who brings balance. “A person who is impartial, who can leave the politics at home, and really decide on a fair map that represents the people of Pennsylvania,” Ali said.

Hosted by Pittsburgh United and moderated by Khalif Ali, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, the forum was an opportunity for Mayor Bill Peduto, state Rep. Ed Gainey, retired police officer Tony Moreno and math tutor/ride-share driver Michael Thompson to answer questions and debate issues ranging from policing to city infrastructure.

"Our understanding is there is a significant amount of animosity toward the appellate courts by the Republicans, and it came about in legislation," said Khalif Ali, executive director of Common Cause in Pennsylvania. "It's a direct response to the results of the November election," Ali said. "There's an idea going out that if democracy doesn't give you what you want, it must be broken."

Meanwhile, there are battles in many statehouses over voting with GOP bills limiting ballot access and bills written by Democrats expanding access.

With former Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar’s abrupt departure and the election tensions still high, the confirmation process for Boockvar’s successor may be the most contentious, said Khalif Ali, executive director of Common Cause in Pennsylvania. "That's going to be the spiciest," he said.

Given Ward’s and Costa’s direct relationships to the top Republican and Democrat in the Senate, respectively, the sons’ clients could get special treatment across the Legislature and a leg-up in getting their legislative priorities across the finish line, said Khalif Ali, the executive director of good-government nonprofit Common Cause PA.