Jaxon White

Meet the Billionaire and Rising GOP Mega-Donor Who’s Gaming the Tax System Susquehanna founder and TikTok investor Jeff Yass has avoided $1 billion in taxes while largely escaping public scrutiny. He’s now pouring his money into campaigns to cut taxes and support election de...

TikTok investor Jeff Yass avoided paying $1 billion in taxes while largely escaping public scrutiny.

He then poured that money into campaigns to cut taxes and support election deniers.

(Published 2022)

One question led to Republican Stacy Garrity winning Trump’s endorsement in Pennsylvania governor’s race | WITF Talking to a room of Republican insiders in Lancaster County earlier this month, Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity revealed how she secured a c […]

Further context here: www.witf.org/2026/02/26/o...

Republican Stacy Garrity should disclose question that led to Trump’s endorsement, Democrats say | WITF Pennsylvania Democrats are raising concerns over an unknown question that President Donald Trump asked state Treasurer Stacy Garrity before he pub […]

Republican Stacy Garrity should disclose question that led to Trump’s endorsement, Democrats say www.witf.org/2026/02/27/r...

ICYMI: The audio story is now embedded, where you can listen to much of the recording.

One question led to Republican Stacy Garrity winning Trump’s endorsement in Pennsylvania governor’s race | WITF Talking to a room of Republican insiders in Lancaster County earlier this month, Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity revealed how she secured a c […]

Talking to GOP insiders this month, Pa. Treasurer Stacy Garrity revealed how she secured a coveted endorsement from President Donald Trump in this year’s governor’s race.

In her telling, Garrity landed Trump’s support by answering a single question.
www.witf.org/2026/02/26/o...

Thinking About the Fragility of a Free Press Why our values may be less universal than we assume— and what to do about it

If we can see the project of press freedom in this broader framework— as a critical means of assuring that we all enjoy all of our basic liberties— we can help secure not only journalism but society as a whole.

Would Josh Shapiro Make A Good President? Pennsylvania Voters Are Divided, Quinnipiac University Pennsylvania Poll Finds; Voters Do Agree On This: Ban Cellphones In K-12 Schools | Quinnipiac Unive... "Shapiro maintains solid numbers as governor. Do Pennsylvanian voters think he's up to the job in the Oval Office? Not exactly a ringing endorsement," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Ma...

As Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy put it: Sen. John Fetterman "maintains the warm embrace of a healthy number of Republicans."

73% of Pa. Republicans approve of Fetterman's work, while 62% of Dems disapprove.

- Per new QU poll

Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy said the following in a news release:

"Shapiro maintains solid numbers as governor. Do Pennsylvanian voters think he's up to the job in the Oval Office? Not exactly a ringing endorsement."

Shapiro leads his 2026 GOP opponent, Stacy Garrity, by double digits - 55% to 37%.

Would Josh Shapiro Make A Good President? Pennsylvania Voters Are Divided, Quinnipiac University Pennsylvania Poll Finds; Voters Do Agree On This: Ban Cellphones In K-12 Schools | Quinnipiac Unive... "Shapiro maintains solid numbers as governor. Do Pennsylvanian voters think he's up to the job in the Oval Office? Not exactly a ringing endorsement," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Ma...

Josh Shapiro boasts a 56% approval rating as governor among Pennsylvanians. But only 40% of voters say he'd be a good president — as he faces rumors of a bid — compared to 43% who say he wouldn't.

Per new Quinnipiac Poll poll.qu.edu/poll-release...

To be clear: Their appointments will not impact my coverage of state government or the gubernatorial race.

WITF’s parent company appointed new members to its board today, including Donna Malpezzi (a longtime attorney for state Senate Republicans) and Thomas Waters (chief investment officer of the Treasury, led by GOP governor candidate Stacy Garrity)

Rape crisis centers push for $12.5M in PA budget Funding has been flat in 6 out of the past 10 PA budgets for rape crisis centers. They say they’re stretched too thin and services are suffering.

New: Pennsylvania's nonprofit rape crisis centers, which provide support groups, counseling, legal aid, and crisis intervention hotlines, have been flat funded in 6 of the commonwealth's last 10 budgets. Now they say they are at their fiscal limit.
www.spotlightpa.org/news/2026/02...

2 Treasury staff will accompany her. Each of the 3 will have a hotel room costing $416.26.

“This opportunity will allow her to gain valuable insights into national issues that could impact Pennsylvanians and the services provided by the Pennsylvania Treasury Department,” her spox said, noting leaders from both parties have attended in the past.

... her trip to DC coincided with a previously scheduled National Association of State Treasurers (NAST) Legislative Conference. And Garrity will meet with members of Congress to talk "Pennsylvania and national state treasury issues including ABLE and SURCH."

GOP gubernatorial candidate Stacy Garrity will attend President Trump’s SOTU speech tomorrow in her formal capacity as Pa. state Treasurer – meaning taxpayers will foot the bill for her travel expenses.

Garrity's spox said ... 🧵

‘Pay for your own power’: Shapiro digs in on data center energy costs Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro knows how to make data center-friendly policies. He's still trying to make them good politics.

"(Shapiro is) now trying to hedge his bet as data centers absorb a nationwide backlash from voters increasingly concerned about their impact on electricity bills."

... via @politico.com

www.politico.com/news/2026/02...

Lower in the story, you'll find I obtained one record through this request. And the information from that conversation matches some of what was included in Shapiro’s newly released Housing Action Plan.

The decision reveals a potential gap in Pennsylvania’s public records law. And transparency advocates say it could block government employees from facing accountability in how they use the technology.

Public access to Pennsylvania officials’ AI conversations may be limited, after agency ruling | WITF Many state government employees’ conversations and prompts with artificial intelligence chatbots will likely remain shielded from public record, […]

WITF sought ChatGPT logs from more than two dozen agencies last year under Pennsylvania's public records law.

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office and the state's open records agency rejected those attempts. (🧵) www.witf.org/2026/02/18/p...

He spent decades perfecting his voice. Now he says Google stole it. NPR’s David Greene says he was “completely freaked out” when he heard an AI voice that sounded just like his own, and he’s suing over it.

NEW: David Greene was the voice of NPR's "Morning Edition." Is he also secretly the voice of Google's popular AI podcast tool, NotebookLM?

Google says no. Greene thinks they're lying. My story today breaks the news of his lawsuit and compares the two voices. Listen for yourself: wapo.st/3ZHRvho

Today’s CBO report says US consumers pay 95% of tariffs. 🤡

@brendanvduke.bsky.social
www.cbo.gov/system/files...

Many of the construction barriers surrounding the Governor‘s Residence are gone, revealing the wall built after April’s arson attack against Gov. Shapiro and his family.

This was at the state GOP's winter meeting, where he was formally endorsed by the party to run as gubernatorial hopeful Stacy Garrity's running mate.

Lieutenant Governor hopeful Jason Richey gains Pennsylvania GOP support before primary | WITF Members of the state Republican Party endorsed western Pennsylvania attorney Jason Richey on Saturday in his bid for lieutenant governor.Richey, 5 […]

I asked Republican LG candidate Jason Richey how he'd handle overseeing the Board of Pardons.

He pivoted, and talked about his priority of promoting natural gas extraction in Pennsylvania. www.witf.org/2026/02/07/l...

ICYMI: Asked about Trump's "nationalize" election remarks, Garrity said:

“I would work with the Trump administration, obviously, because we need to turn our state around."

Governor hopeful Stacy Garrity says she’d work with Trump administration on Pennsylvania’s elections | WITF Republican gubernatorial hopeful Stacy Garrity said Friday afternoon that she would cooperate with President Donald Trump’s administration in ru […]

Governor hopeful Stacy Garrity says she’d work with Trump administration on Pennsylvania’s elections www.witf.org/2026/02/06/g...

Beshear super PAC gets $450K from Pennsylvania donor • Kentucky Lantern Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's super PAC upped its fundraising in the second half of 2025 amid expectations the Democrat will run for president.

Interesting...
(h/t PA Post / Spotlight PA)
kentuckylantern.com/2026/02/03/b...?

The more you know! I knew very little of all that context. Time for me to get reading about it.