HARRISBURG –  The Pennsylvania Senate voted today to confirm Michelle A. Henry, a life-long public servant and former First Deputy Attorney General, to serve as Pennsylvania Attorney General. Today’s vote follows Monday’s unanimous decision by the Senate Judiciary Committee to recommend and advance her nomination.

“This is a powerful vote of confidence in our work and I am humbled to lead the dedicated team in the Office of Attorney General on behalf of every Pennsylvanian,” said Attorney General Henry. “Consumers, victims, and our partners in law enforcement now rely on the Office in record numbers, and with this vote, we can continue to be the independent, fearless, and trusted voice Pennsylvanians have come to expect. There will be big challenges over the next two years, and, as your Attorney General, I promise we will step up and always have Pennsylvanians’ backs.”

The Attorney General is the state’s top law enforcement officer and operates with a wide range of responsibilities to protect and serve the citizens and agencies of the Commonwealth. The Attorney General leads a staff of several hundred prosecutors, attorneys, investigators, agents and support staff in offices across the state, divided into four divisions: the Criminal Law Division, the Public Protection Division, the Civil Division and the Operations Division.

“Michelle Henry has the experience, talent, and dedication to the pursuit of justice that Pennsylvania needs in the Attorney General’s office – and that’s why I nominated her to serve out the remainder of my term,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “By confirming her nomination, the Senate has guaranteed that Pennsylvanians have an Attorney General who will fight for them. I look forward to working with Attorney General Henry to build safer communities and protect the rights of Pennsylvanians.”

A prosecutor for more than 26 years, Henry rose from intern in the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office to now serve as the chief law enforcement officer for the Commonwealth. She is a graduate of Allegheny College and the Widener University School of Law, worked for the Westmoreland County Legal Aid Office, and clerked for now retired Lancaster County President Judge Michael Georgelis.

Before serving as First Deputy Attorney General, Michelle dedicated over 20 years of her career to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office – taking on critical jobs including Chief of Major Crimes, Chief of Child Abuse, and First Assistant. She was appointed Bucks County District Attorney with a bipartisan vote in 2008. Michelle has been a leading advocate for children throughout her career, prosecuting major child abuse cases and launching Bucks County’s children’s advocacy center. She has pushed major initiatives and took a leading role in educating junior prosecutors from across the Commonwealth.

As First Deputy Attorney General under former Attorney General Josh Shapiro, Henry was responsible for overseeing all of the Office’s legal matters, including criminal cases to seek justice for victims, civil suits representing the Commonwealth and public protection cases fighting for the rights of Pennsylvania consumers. During her tenure, Henry was admitted to the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America; and received the Widener University Commonwealth Law School’s 2017 Excellence in Public Service Alumni Award for her “extraordinary contributions” to public service.

HARRISBURG, March 8 – State Rep. Rob Matzie announced today that he has been appointed majority chairman of the House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee.

Matzie, D-Beaver, said he is looking forward to continued leadership as the majority chairman and the role he can play in developing and promoting bills to better protect the state’s consumers.

“I appreciate the confidence House leadership has shown in me by appointing me to lead the committee for the next two years,” Matzie said. “Whether protecting consumers, overseeing broadband deployment, keeping tabs on new technologies or monitoring energy generation, our committee’s purview touches on many aspects of daily life in all corners of our state. I’m ready to work.”

Formerly known as the House Consumer Affairs Committee, the House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee has jurisdiction over the Public Utilities Commission and reviews bills related to a broad range of consumer matters, including, but not limited to, consumer privacy, utilities, broadband and other technology-related issues.

PITTSBURGH – The president of a Pittsburgh-area mineral company pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to a charge of filing a false income tax return, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Paul J. Austin pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Arthur Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that from 2012 through 2017, the defendant was the President of J.P. Austin Associates, Inc., a mineral processing company in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. For calendar years 2012 through 2017, the defendant and his spouse, who served as the company’s Treasurer, jointly filed annual Form 1040 federal income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The defendant admitted in Court that during the relevant time period, payments were made from company accounts for college expenses, which were falsely categorized as business expenses using fictitious vendor names. The return preparer for Mr. Austin and his spouse was not informed about these college expense payments, and the payments were not included as taxable income on Form 1040 returns that were ultimately filed with the IRS. Thus, the defendant willfully made and subscribed Form 1040 returns for calendar years 2012 through 2017 that materially underreported
his taxable income. In connection with his guilty plea, the defendant agreed to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $159,982.00, plus interest.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for July 19, 2023. The law provides for a maximum sentence of three years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney David Lew is prosecuting this case on behalf of the
government.
The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Information in this case.

FILE – A Tesla logo is seen at the company’s store in Denver’s Cherry Creek Mall on Feb. 9, 2019. Owning Tesla stock in 2022 has been anything but a smooth ride for investors. Shares in the electric vehicle maker are down nearly 70% since the start of the year, on pace to finish in the bottom five biggest decliners among S&P 500 stocks. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. auto safety regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla’s Model Y SUV after getting two complaints that the steering wheels can come off while being driven. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the probe covers an estimated 120,000 vehicles from the 2023 model year. The agency says in both cases the Model Ys were delivered to customers with a missing bolt that holds the wheel to the steering column. A friction fit held the steering wheels on, but they separated when force was exerted. Messages were left seeking comment from Tesla.

FILE – U.S. President Joe Biden, right, stands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit meeting on Nov. 14, 2022, in Bali, Indonesia. Xi accused Washington on Monday, March 6, 2023, trying to isolate his country and hold back its development. That reflects the ruling Communist Party’s growing frustration that its pursuit of prosperity and global influence is threatened by U.S. restrictions on access to technology, its support for Taiwan and other moves seen by Beijing as hostile. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

BEIJING (AP) — Is the United States out to sabotage China? Chinese leaders think so. President Xi Jinping accused Washington this week of trying to isolate his country and hold back its development. That reflects the ruling Communist Party’s growing frustration that its pursuit of prosperity and global influence is threatened by U.S. restrictions on access to technology, its support for Taiwan and other moves. Xi said a U.S.-led campaign of “containment and suppression” has “brought unprecedented, severe challenges.” China is hardly the only government to fume at Washington’s dominance of global strategic and economic affairs. But Chinese leaders see the United States as making extra effort to thwart Beijing as a challenger for regional and possibly global leadership.

(Beaver County, PA) The Beaver County Educational Trust, a 501©3 non-profit organization established in 1982 and dedicated to broadening the educational and cultural experience in Beaver County, has created a new Education Hall of Fame. BCET
has many ongoing education initiatives and in the past has recognized outstanding “Teachers of the Year” as well as dedicated administrators and staff.
To further honor and celebrate those who have exhibited outstanding
achievement and service in education over time, BCET is launching its Education
Hall of Fame this spring. Honorees will be chosen from nominations that are open
to the public. Nomination forms are available on the BCET website at
www.beavercountyeducationaltrust.org.
Hall of Fame honorees will be recognized at the BCET “Coming Together For
Education” Gala to be held on May 9. Tickets for the Gala are available on-line at
the BCET website or through BCET Trustees or the Executive Director.
For more information contact, Executive Director Jamie Connelly as indicated
above.

A member of the Mexican security forces stands next to a white minivan with North Carolina plates and several bullet holes, at the crime scene where gunmen kidnapped four U.S. citizens who crossed into Mexico from Texas, Friday, March 3, 2023. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the four Americans were going to buy medicine and were caught in the crossfire between two armed groups after they had entered Matamoros, across from Brownsville, Texas, on Friday. (AP Photo)

CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP) — Officials say two survivors of a deadly abduction in Mexico are back on U.S. soil. They were brought to a hospital in Brownsville, Texas, on Tuesday. Two other Americans were killed after the group got caught in a drug cartel shootout last week. Officials say the group was on a road trip to Mexico for one of them to get cosmetic surgery. The Americans were hauled away in a truck. The region’s governor said Mexican authorities frantically searched as the cartel moved them around. They were eventually found Tuesday in a remote area near the Gulf coast in a wood shack.

FILE – This combination of images provided by the Memphis, Tenn., Police Department shows, from top row from left, Police Officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, bottom row from left, Desmond Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith. A seventh Memphis Police Department employee was fired and another retired while he was recommended to lose his job for their roles in the fatal arrest of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old motorist who died three days after a brutal police beating in January. (Memphis Police Department via AP, File)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Justice Department announced Wednesday that it will review the Memphis police department policies on use of force, de-escalation policies and specialized units in response to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols during an arrest. It said that the review was requested by the city’s mayor and police chief. The announcement also said in a separate effort, it will examine the use of specialized units around the country and produce a guide for police chiefs and mayors on their use. The U.S. Justice Department has previously opened a civil rights investigation into Nichols’ death.

FBI Director Christopher Wray, speaks at the FBI Norfolk Field Office, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in Chesapeake, Va. (AP Photo/John C. Clark)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI finds itself in a challenging moment as it conducts simultaneous investigations involving classified documents held by former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. The dual inquiries are both overseen by Justice Department special counsels and are unfolding in a hyper-partisan environment as election season nears and as Republicans use their new House majority to investigate the FBI and attack its credibility. In an interview with The Associated Press this week, FBI Director Christopher Wray acknowledged that it was a tough time for the FBI. But he downplayed the impact that the “noise” had on the FBI’s day-to-day work, on morale or on its relationship to other law enforcement agencies.

This still image from video provided by Lisa Olsen shows a man who federal authorities have identified as Francisco Severo Torres as he moves through the cabin on a weekend flight from Los Angeles to Boston, Sunday, March 5, 2023. Federal authorities said Torres tried to open the airliner’s emergency exit and then tried to stab a flight attendant with a broken spoon. (Lisa Olsen via AP)

BOSTON (AP) — A passenger who helped restrain a threatening man on a weekend flight from Los Angeles to Boston says the entire chaotic episode was over within seconds thanks to teamwork. Federal authorities say the man tried to open an airliner’s emergency exit and then tried to stab a flight attendant. Speaking Tuesday, passenger Simik Ghookasian says he heard the suspect make loud threats. Ghookasian says he was among five or six passengers who piled onto the suspect and took a modified metal spoon from him. The suspect is expected to appear in court later this week after being arrested Sunday, when the plane landed in Boston.