Chris Brennan, Philly Inquirer

Chris Brennan

Philly Inquirer

Philadelphia, PA, United States

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Recent:
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Past:
  • Philly Inquirer
  • Philly.com

Past articles by Chris:

Allan Domb touts his business career in bid for mayor, but skips over one line on his resume

Allan Domb built his "condo king" empire through real estate holdings and touts that success as his runs for mayor. He talks far less about his role on a the board of a real estate trust. → Read More

Doug Mastriano, mulling a 2024 Senate run, is still falling for dodgy polls like it’s 2022

Doug Mastriano spent much of 2022 denouncing any poll that showed him trailing in the race for governor and embracing any survey of voters, no matter how dodgy, if it offered good news. → Read More

The Democratic primary for sheriff in Philadelphia is off to an expensive start

A lawyer seeking to unseat Sheriff Rochelle Bilal has already invested $250,000 of his own money in the campaign and has a history of spending big to run for elected office. → Read More

It’s Petition Day, when Philadelphia candidates submit voter signatures to get on the May 16 primary ballot

Candidates for Philadelphia mayor, City Council, and other offices will submit paperwork to get on the ballot. Next, they'll have to survive potential challenges to their petitions. → Read More

Did ‘Abbott Elementary’ ding Pennsylvania’s richest man for charter school support?

In the episode, teachers worry a charter school operator might take over their school. Yass, a Main Line billionaire investor, has spent millions to support charter schools. → Read More

Local 98, on the sidelines in Philly’s race for mayor, is more focused on its own union election

Local 98, the electricians union, is usually a powerful player in races for mayor in Philadelphia. But the union this year appears more focused on a June election for internal control. → Read More

Philly’s hearty take a plunge to raise funds to pay bonuses for city pool lifeguards

The temperature was spot-on for the "Philly Phreeze" as about 50 people plunged into a frigid pool Saturday to raise money for city pool lifeguard bonuses. More than $65,000 was raised. → Read More

A super PAC backing Jeff Brown put Tom Wolf in a TV ad Tom Wolf didn’t want to be in

A super PAC backing Jeff Brown for mayor, already rebuked this month for using Michelle Obama's image in a television ad, is in trouble now with former Gov. Tom Wolf for using his photo in an ad. → Read More

Darrell L. Clarke, Philadelphia City Council President, announces retirement

Clarke has worked in City Council for more than four decades, and the lawmaking body that Philadelphians know today is in many ways a reflection of his leadership style. → Read More

Darrell L. Clarke’s retirement ends four decades of Philadelphia City Council leadership. Here’s why it matters and what happens next.

The Council president is one of the most powerful political figures in Philadelphia and holds enormous sway over all sorts of policy affecting residents and businesses. → Read More

AI is everywhere these days. Can it help catch nomination petition shenanigans?

Can AI help crack down on the elections shenanigans that turn up during nomination petition season, as candidates seek signatures to get on the primary election ballot? → Read More

Mike Stack leaves Philly voters wanting more

Mike Stack III, ousted by Democratic primary voters as Pennsylvania's lieutenant governor in 2018, says he will not run for mayor in Philadelphia this year. → Read More

Philly’s building trades unions set to endorse for mayor. Clout hears Cherelle Parker gets the nod.

The Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council helped elect Jim Kenney as mayor in 2015 and 2019. → Read More

Philadelphia’s Register of Wills let her daughter sell Eagles T-shirts from her City Hall office

There are plenty of places to buy Philadelphia Eagles gear ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl. The Register of Wills office in City Hall is not supposed to be one of them. → Read More

Local 98 leader spurns ‘Johnny Doc’ as union election approaches and legal tussle brews

John "Johnny Doc" Dougherty is rethinking his support for the man who took control of the electricians union when he stepped down. And Sheriff Rochelle Bilal gave Clout the finger. No, really. → Read More

Super PACS made early picks for mayor in 2015 and 2019. This year, they’re in flux.

Super PACs, political action committees that can raise and spend money well beyond the city's campaign finance limits, spent more than candidates for mayor in 2015 and 2019 and may again this year. → Read More

Philly Sheriff Rochelle Bilal doesn’t want to discuss her $6,662 party at Chickie’s & Pete’s

Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal and a communications consultant paid by her office did not answer questions this week about $6,662 in public funds Bilal spent in December at Chickie's & Pete's. → Read More

Former City Controller Alan Butkovitz says he was carjacked outside his Northeast Philly home

Butkovitz, 70, said he had just arrived home in his 2012 black Ford Fusion when a masked man with a gun took his car. → Read More

Helen Gym denounced the Union League. A week later, she attended a cocktail party at the club.

In an unforced error that flashed across social media Monday, mayoral candidate Helen Gym was photographed and recorded at The Union League after denouncing the club last week. → Read More

Over Trump and on to DeSantis, Philly’s deep pocket, private club crowd looks to 2024

Ron DeSantis brought his pro-business, anti-woke agenda to eager audiences in two of Philadelphia's most exclusive private clubs. → Read More