Too little
It was probably too good to be true.
Earlier this year, several Pennsylvania legislators were caught on videotape accepting cash and gifts as part of a sting operation.
The actions sparked an outrage among many citizens, and then the heat was turned up a notch when it was revealed that such actions weren’t illegal. Under current ethics rules at the time, legislators could accept gifts, including cash, as long as they reported accepting anything over $250 on their annual financial-disclosure forms. The only thing the lawmakers had failed to do was report the gifts, and the penalty for that offense was some sort of legislative reprimand.
There were immediate calls for an outright ban on gifts, with many lawmakers saying they thought such a law was already in place. Many legislators complained that they were tired of being lumped in with fellow lawmakers who engaged in such shady practices, giving them all a bad name.
Legislators in both the Senate and House said they would revise the ethics rules in their own chambers to outlaw the practice. Others noted that a formal law should be passed, with real penalties, including possible jail terms to deter lawmakers from engaging in such practices.
There was even some talk that Pennsylvania could pass the stiffest law in the nation on gift bans to serve as an example to other states of how to handle such matters.
However, as usual with the Pennsylvania Legislature, lawmakers pulled back and no law was passed, never mind one being the strongest in the nation. Both chambers did pass ethics reform prohibiting cash gifts, but that wasn’t nearly enough.
The problem with ethics violations is they’re handled internally by the Legislature and often result in watered down reprimands if that. All too often popular politicians find ways to get off the hook and their fellow lawmakers are all too eager to accommodate them.
It’s all too easy for lawmakers to talk tough about ethics violations but do nothing once the heat is off.
To its credit, the state Senate did pass a law banning cash gifts. However, the measure has gone nowhere in the House, where there’s some talk that the ethics rule change is enough, and a new law isn’t necessary.
There are reports that the legislation could be considered in the fall, but it easily could be overlooked as there are many other crucial items on the agenda for the session, which will be short, as many of its members will return home to campaign for re-election.
If the House doesn’t pass the bill by the end of the year, the whole process will have to start over in the next legislative session, which probably means no law will be passed.
And that would be a shame since a law change, not mere ethics reform, is really needed in this instance.
The only way lawmakers will go ahead with a law change is if they get enough pressure from their constituents back home. So, it’s really up to you. Local residents must contact their local legislators and tell them that ethics reform is mere window dressing at this point and can’t be the end of this process. They have to insist that something concrete take place in the way of a new law.
And if lawmakers refuse to go along, then voters should show them the door by refusing to vote for them in the fall elections.
That would certainly drive home the point that real change is needed in Harrisburg.