Braddock, PA — Just days after sending an email titled, “I’m thinking about running for Senate” and asking for a donation if folks wanted to see John run, a whopping 15,000 contributions have come in from all 50 states and 63 out of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.

“We are quite humbled by this outpouring of support from the thousands of donors around Pennsylvania and the whole country who chipped in what they could to encourage John to run,” said Bobby Maggio from Team Fetterman. “This level of support is very encouraging. We would be able to build a giant grassroots campaign to fight for every vote in every one of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties — powered by people, not corporate PAC money.”

Starting with the Friday morning announcement that John was taking in a hard look at running to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate, grassroots donors have chipped in more than $500,000, with an average contribution of just $33.84.

“I’m truly, utterly at a loss to communicate my profound gratitude for this support. Thank you. Thank you all so much,” said John Fetterman. “Without question, this display of support has intensified and accelerated this decision process, and a decision will be forthcoming in a matter of weeks.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden has chosen veteran diplomat William Burns to be his CIA director. Biden made the announcement on Monday. A former ambassador to Russia and Jordan, Burns rose through the ranks of the State Department to become deputy secretary before retiring to run the Carnegie Endowment of International Peace in 2014. Biden praised Burns as an exemplary diplomat “with decades of experience on the world stage keeping our people and our country safe and secure.” If confirmed, Burns would succeed Gina Haspel, who guided the agency under President Donald Trump.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has formally refused to put on a fast track election challenges filed by President Donald Trump and his allies. The court on Monday rejected pleas for quick consideration of cases involving the outcome in five states won by President-elect Joe Biden. Those states are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The orders, issued without comment, were unsurprising. The justices had previously taken no action in those cases in advance of last week’s counting of the electoral votes in Congress, which confirmed Biden’s victory.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden has already been preparing for months to take on a series of historic crises — a pandemic that’s killed at least 373,000 Americans and a sluggish economy that’s left millions jobless. He has talked about the need for bipartisan action and unity among Americans to address these challenges. But the armed insurrection at the U.S. Capitol last week sparked by President Donald Trump’s false allegations of voter fraud and attempts at delegitimizing Biden’s win raised fresh questions about how exactly Biden will achieve that unity in a nation so deeply divided. His best bet to achieve that unity _ or move in that direction _ may be to get real results with the coronavirus pandemic and the economy.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The full extent of the assault on the U.S. Capitol is coming into sharper focus, with scenes of violence so vast they are difficult to grasp. Countless smartphone videos have been emerging from the scene, and more lawmakers are recounting the chaos that was around them. Altogether they reveal the sinister nature of the assault. And they point to the crowd as a force determined to occupy the inner sanctums of Congress and hunt down leaders — Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi among them. Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts says what he witnessed was a display of “home-grown fascism that was out of control.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House will proceed with legislation to impeach President Donald Trump as she pushes the vice president to invoke constitutional authority to force him out. The House action could start as soon as Monday as pressure increases on Trump to step aside. The president is holed up at the White House, increasingly isolated after a mob rioted in the Capitol in support of his false claims of election fraud. A second Republican senator, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, is calling for Trump to resign. Lawmakers warn of the damage the president can do before Joe Biden is inaugurated Jan. 20.

John Broman, 41, faces a preliminary hearing in Beaver County Central Court Monday, January 25,2021 at 10 a.m. in connection with new charges  of escape  and violating his  bond. He was arriagned by District Justice John Armour on Friday and returned to jail,  Bond was set  at $1 million. He escaped from the jail Thursday morning following arraignment on charges of arson, possession of a controlled substance and disorderly conduct. That bond was also set at $1 million.

Pennsylvania makes more people eligible for COVID-19 vaccine
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press
Pennsylvania has released an updated coronavirus vaccine plan that makes more people eligible for shots in the initial phases of the rollout. Health care workers and nursing home residents remain at the front of the line, followed by people 75 years and older and “essential workers” like police officers, grocery store clerks and teachers. With COVID-19 continuing to rage throughout Pennsylvania, health officials caution the state is still months away from having enough doses of the two approved vaccines to inoculate the general public.