Video from 2020 shows Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti telling residents she didn’t want them attending in-person church services and that police might be asked to intervene, and that same record is now part of her bid for Congress in Pennsylvania’s Eighth District.
Newly surfaced footage from the spring of 2020 captures Paige Cognetti, then mayor of Scranton, warning people to stay home during the pandemic and signaling that local enforcement could be used to police gatherings. The remarks came at a virtual town hall held just before Easter, a sensitive time for many faith communities. That moment from her record is resurfacing as she seeks higher office.
At the town hall, she told residents bluntly: “Don’t be going out,” adding that she did not want people meeting in public spaces or holding services. The remark landed two days before Easter, when churches were deciding between in-person worship and remote options. It was a forceful line that many saw as a public official using scare language to push compliance.
State rules at the time included carve-outs for religious observances, but local messaging mattered in how policies were enforced on the ground. Days after that town hall, Cognetti publicly admitted she lacked the legal authority to order faith-based institutions to shut down. That admission undercut the earlier warning and raised questions about why she framed her remarks the way she did.
In a later exchange during another virtual meeting, she described interactions with constituents who reported religious services still happening and explained how city staff had reached out to congregational leaders. Her comments showed the administration encouraging community reporting and outreach rather than relying on clear legal mechanisms. Those actions and words left critics arguing the administration blurred the line between persuasion and coercion.
“I know—there was Kevin from Friday was flagging a religious—excuse me—a faith-based organization that was still having services, and Kevin, I really appreciate you raising that. We’ve spoken with the leader there,” Cognetti said. “As we’ve talked about, we cannot order a faith-based institution to not have services, but we can strongly strongly urge that they practice social distancing and remote methods of worship. I do think that not only do those calls that we make help, but we only know about it if you out in the community let us know.”
That exchange is now part of the record voters will examine as Cognetti runs to unseat Republican Representative Rob Bresnahan. Her critics on the right say the comments reveal a willingness to pressure religious groups and to mobilize local law enforcement rhetoric against peaceful worshippers. Supporters might argue she was trying to protect public health, but the messaging left many uneasy about government overreach.
From a conservative perspective, the core concern is constitutional: whether a public official used the pandemic to push the boundaries of religious freedom and community privacy. Local leaders have a duty to protect public safety, but they must do it without threatening fundamental liberties or encouraging neighbors to police one another. The back-and-forth in those town halls shows how easily public health directives can strain trust between citizens and local government.
The stakes are political as well as legal. If Cognetti wins the Democratic primary, she will face Bresnahan in the 2026 general election, turning a local controversy into a national campaign talking point. Voters in Pennsylvania’s Eighth District will get a chance to weigh her pandemic-era decisions alongside her broader platform as the race unfolds. This episode will likely be used by opponents to argue about priorities and judgment in a potential congresswoman.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
