March on Harrisburg advocates hope the third time’s a charm for a gift ban under consideration by the state legislature.
Dozens of supporters joined representatives of March on Harrisburg Monday to push for an upcoming vote to end legalized bribery in the commonwealth in the form of gifts from lobbyists and others seeking political influence and favor.
“We don’t care about water bottles or plaques. We do care about European trips, tickets for box seats to the Super Bowl or Penn State games and wining and dining” gifts, said Andrea Pauliuc, internal organizer for March on Harrisburg.
Pennsylvania is one of three states in the nation – along with Delaware and Mississippi – without a common sense gift ban, Pauliuc said.
Pennsylvania legislators failed to pass gift ban votes in 2019 and 2021. At those times a gift ban bill was passed out of the House State Government Committee. It failed to be adopted as Pennsylvania law, she said.
So far, about 11 Pennsylvania state Senate members along with 27 members of the House of Representatives have signaled they would support such a ban.
A list of those legislators who indicated support for a gift ban can be found at MoHPA.com. To date, there are no Bucks County legislators who support a gift ban, MoHPA representatives said.
“We’re focused on broader money in politics, limits on campaign contributions, dark money and the revolving door,” Pauliuc said.
The “revolving door” refers to public officials who either take on side work for lobby groups while still on the government payroll, or become professionally engaged with lobby groups after they leave office.
READ: Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro loosens his predecessor’s notoriously strict gift ban for top officials
Pauliuc said putting pressure on “rank and file” public officials to act – while public trust in government is low – could make an impact with voters.
While gifts with a value of more than $250; and travel, lodging and hospitality gifts valued greater than $650 are required to be reported even those amounts often go unreported, the MoHPA website said.
Michael Pollack, executive director of March on Harrisburg and tri-chair of the Pennsylvania Poor People’s Campaign acknowledged some gifts are “more corrupting” than others either because they play to positive emotions or are high value items the gift recipient admires or esteems.
“Different gifts influence different legislators in different ways. It’s really hard to tell – what is influencing who and how,” he explained.
The Pennsylvania Department of State’s Lobbying Disclosure website lists quarterly expense reports, annual reporting, compliance information and other details relevant to lobby groups. It is available to the public.
Pollack said most lobbyist gifts happen “in the shadows and about 95% are un itemized – we don’t know who [they go to] or what they are.”
He said time is the highest value most lobbyists seek from legislators – and high value gifts are a way to gain access to and spend time with public officials.
“The time becomes something the legislators become unaware of. You make the circuit; you make the loop and you keep going. Some [legislators] even think the lobbyists are their friends while others know they are paid professionals who are sent in to influence them,” he explained.
While some legislators in Pennsylvania have indicated they support a ban, Pollack said there are no current promises to vote for one.
“The decision about whether to have a vote [for a gift ban] is in the hands of a very few people,” Pollack said.
