Philadelphia Inquirer

Today’s briefing is brought to you by Independence Blue Cross. It’s Friday, November 16th. The Johnny Bobbitt story sounded like a movie. Now, prosecutors say it was a lie. The feel-good story went that Bobbitt, a homeless veteran down on his luck, gave his last $20 to Kate McClure when her car ran out of gas in Philly. A GoFundMe campaign was launched and more than $400,000 in donations poured in.

Today’s briefing is brought to you by Independence Blue Cross. It’s Thursday, November 15th. Democrat Andy Kim was officially elected to represent New Jersey’s 3rd District in Congress. It ended the tight and drawn-out race against two-term Republican Tom MacArthur. Kim was declared the winner after about 7,000 paper provisional ballots were counted by the boards of elections in Burlington County and Ocean County. Last night, MacArthur called Kim to congratulate him on his victory.

Today’s briefing is brought to you by Independence Blue Cross. It’s Wednesday, November 14th. Philly Mayor Jim Kenney, district attorney Larry Krasner, and police commissioner Richard Ross are being sued. The Philadelphia police officers union is suing them because of a list Krasner keeps to prevent tainted cops from testifying in court. The cops on the list are officers whose misconduct has made them problematic as witnesses. It’s name is the “Do Not Call” list.

Today’s briefing is brought to you by Independence Blue Cross. It’s Tuesday, November 13th. The Vatican ordered American bishops not to vote on sexual abuse reform this week. The announcement surprised the clergy. They are at a three-day conference in Baltimore to discuss misconduct in the Catholic Church. This comes as calls for more accountability within the Church are getting stronger.

It’s Monday, November 12th. Democrats have shifted the political landscape in some of the key Rust Belt and Midwestern states that went for Donald Trump in 2016. They hope that their statewide midterm election wins in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin will signal a White House win in 2020. In Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Wolf and Senator Bob Casey carried key counties where white working-class voters helped Trump secure the presidency.

It’s Friday, November 9th. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is going to compensate clergy sexual abuse victims whose claims are too old to be taken to court. Several dioceses across the state will also open funds. But it’s unclear how much money the church has set aside to compensate victims. Philly's archbishop says the diocese’s financial commitment here is significant. But adds that he believes money “cannot buy back a wounded person’s wholeness.

It’s Thursday, November 8th. Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned yesterday. And now the future of deputy attorney general and Philly native Rod Rosenstein is unclear. President Trump passed over Rosenstein, and named Sessions’s chief of staff Matthew Whitaker acting AG. Rosenstein was overseeing Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling during the 2016 election. But Whitaker will now take the lead.

It’s Wednesday, November 7th. Pennsylvanians will get another four years of Governor Tom Wolf. The Democrat beat out Republican challenger Scott Wagner. Democrats also took the Senate races in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with Bob Casey Jr. and Bob Menendez winning reelection. And, not one, but FOUR women broke up the Commonwealth’s all-male delegation, each of them Democrats.

It’s Tuesday, November 6th. Nobody knows what caused a Main Line mansion to explode Sunday night. But when the vacant 6-bedroom house exploded, thousands heard a loud boom, and many called 9-1-1. In nearby homes, residents reported broken windows and blown-in doors. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the blast. Neighbors said the Gladwyne estate had been undergoing renovations for years. It could take weeks for authorities to find out exactly what happened.

It’s Monday, November 5th. Election Day is tomorrow. And for the first time, there are more young voters registered in Pennsylvania than people ages 65 and up. However, these young voters are still less likely than any other age group to actually show up to the polls. On Tuesday, college students can expect to see puppies, costumes, and free food from various organizations on campus trying to encourage them to ACTUALLY vote.