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Pa. GOP chair resigns after Inquirer report detailing sexually charged messages | Morning Newsletter

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Messages are between Irina Goldstein, who ran as a Republican in the May 21 primary election for Philadelphia City Council, and Valentino "Val" DiGiorgio III, the chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party. The messages are from Facebook Messenger and Snapchat. Goldstein's messages are in blue.
Messages are between Irina Goldstein, who ran as a Republican in the May 21 primary election for Philadelphia City Council, and Valentino "Val" DiGiorgio III, the chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party. The messages are from Facebook Messenger and Snapchat. Goldstein's messages are in blue.Read moreJon Snyder / Staff Illustration

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If you thought yesterday was hot, it’s not gonna get any cooler today. Summer’s first heat wave is coming and it might stretch into the weekend. Tonight and tomorrow, while you’re (hopefully) enjoying your air conditioning, Democratic presidential candidates will take the stage for two debates. In local politics, Pennsylvania’s GOP chair resigned yesterday following an Inquirer report about him trading sexually charged messages with a Philly City Council candidate. Plus, a union president representing hundreds of refinery workers is reacting angrily this morning following a report that Philadelphia Energy Solutions plans to close after last week’s explosions.

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— Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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The Inquirer examined 150 pages of messages between DiGiorgio and Irina Goldstein, a Republican City Council candidate, that she says the two exchanged between October and February.

A lawyer for DiGiorgio says the sexually charged messages with Goldstein, who was seeking his advice and support, were “mutual private exchanges between adults.” She accused him of harassing her.

Their interactions occurred not only as the party gears up to try to deliver Pennsylvania for President Trump in 2020, but at a time of renewed public scrutiny over how powerful men treat women. Over the past few years, political leaders on both sides of the aisle have seen their careers damaged or destroyed because of how they handled such matters.

Less than two hours after the Inquirer story published, DiGiorgio resigned as Pennsylvania’s GOP chairman.

Turns out Mayor Jim Kenney wasn’t the only elected official routinely deleting government-related text messages. The Inquirer requested various state officials’ messages for the month of March.

So far, The Inquirer has received records from five officials, with Gov. Tom Wolf the only one to not provide any text messages. State officials said Wolf only texts when he’s running late, for a quick “thanks," or for other “transitory” messages which, they argue, don’t need to be saved according to the state policy.

Inquirer reporter Claudia Vargas aimed to see how various levels of government apply Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law in responding to requests for records.

What you need to know today

  1. Reuters is reporting that Philadelphia Energy Solutions plans to permanently close its oil refinery complex in South Philly after last week’s explosions and resulting fire, citing two anonymous sources, and could announce hundreds of layoffs. A union head told The Inquirer that it “is going to fight for every job there.”

  2. The head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection will step down while the agency faces outrage over its treatment of migrant children in facilities. John Sanders, its acting commissioner, said in a message to employees he would resign on July 5.

  3. What can you expect from the Democratic presidential candidate debates? They air tonight and tomorrow night.

  4. Many county and municipal governments in Pennsylvania use local resources to assist federal immigration agents. They often give authorities tips about undocumented immigrants, according to a new study.

  5. The Philadelphia Police Department has updated its policy on how officers should treat transgender and non-binary people. City officials said that the policy was now among “the most progressive” in the nation.

  6. Break dancing is all but approved for the 2024 Olympics. Earlier this week, breakers in Philly expressed a mix of opinions on the chance of getting to perform on an Olympic stage.

  7. About a quarter of people with Type 1 diabetes have chosen to ration their insulin because of how much it costs, according to a study published last week.

Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly

Honestly can’t decide what’s better, the dog or the skyline. Thanks for the picture, @samshec!

Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!

That’s Interesting

  1. LGBTQ bookstores — including the oldest and longest-running one in the country — are a lifeline for queer teens.

  2. The Sixers’ first-round pick Matisse Thybulle always looked up to his mother. Despite losing her to cancer, he still strives to be like her.

  3. When a 73-year-old Bucks County woman saw a cobra on her porch, she took some photos, grabbed a shovel and “did the deed.”

  4. Penn scientists invented a reversible superglue that’s strong enough to hold a person. Their inspiration? Snails.

  5. An Umbrella Man statue used to stand outside the Prince Theater in Philadelphia. What happened to it?

Opinions

“It would have been too late without the collective action of the subway riders. ‘You are the heroes,’ she said, tears streaming, ‘You just saved his life.’”Co-director of Health Policy for the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at Penn Janet Weiner writes about the emotional story of strangers jumping into action to help revive someone who overdosed on a SEPTA subway.

  1. Former Philadelphia City Commissioner candidate Jen Devor thinks the city should lower its voting age to 16.

  2. Two nights of Democratic presidential candidate debates could shake up the field. Or, it might just fizzle, Inquirer columnist John Baer writes.

What we’re reading

  1. Curbed Philadelphia got a look inside the newly completed Fitler Club, a members-only establishment with a hotel, spa, and more.

  2. Schools are starting to use unproven surveillance technology to monitor students. Specifically, the devices claim to look for stress and anger before violence erupts. Yet, ProPublica reports that testing found them less than reliable.

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