Democrats move to take power with narrow Pa. House majority

By BROOKE SCHULTZ and MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrats who barely won back enough seats in the Pennsylvania House in November are moving to control the chamber to replace one of their incumbents who died and two others who won higher office. Shortly after Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton of Philadelphia was sworn in on the House floor on Wednesday, she scheduled special elections for Feb. 7 for all three seats. The top Republican leader is calling it an “illegal and unprecedented power grab” based on a specious claim to the majority. McClinton says she will serve as acting speaker until the chamber will vote on a new speaker when it reconvenes for swearing-in on Jan. 3.