This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Alison Beam frequently made headlines, as she ran the Pa. Department of Health for much of the last year. However, Beam’s new job is raising eyebrows, and it’s raising concern as she transitions from health leader to health care lobbyist.

The main entrance to the state capitol has a revolving door, but it’s not the only one of those in Harrisburg. “The revolving door is essentially that you leave your job one day and come back that next day to try to sell something or lobby for a position before the agency where you work,” Executive Director of the Pa. Ethics Commission, Rob Caruso said.

The latest example is Alison Beam, the former health secretary who will now become Vice President of Legislative Affairs, a lobbyist, for UPMC.

“The Appearance of Corruption is strong when someone spins through the revolving door,” Michael Pollack said. He is with the Good Government Watchdog in Harrisburg. He admits there is no accusation of wrongdoing against Beam, who has broken no laws and is qualified. But he says taking a job with the state’s largest health employer erodes public trust.

“How can an acting health secretary not interact with UPMC? It’s an impossible situation so you shouldn’t be able to go to work for UPMC because that leads to the question were you always working for them? Were you ever working for Pennsylvania? Who are you working for here? It muddies the waters,” Pollack said.

Governor Wolf’s Press Secretary Elizabeth Rementer issued a statement on Beam’s actions stating:

“The governor expects the highest ethical and professional standards from his administration, including himself. He has prioritized government reform throughout his administration to ensure that state government is open and transparent and has implemented strong ethical reforms and policies. The governor has repeatedly urged the legislature to take further steps to reform how government operates and the legislature has failed to implement most of them. The governor will continue to voice his support for true lobbying reform and a legislative gift ban. Alison Beam was a tremendous asset to the Wolf Administration and the commonwealth as a whole, and we wish her well in her future endeavors. She resigned to be with her family and pursue career opportunities without ethical conflict. Questioning the career path of one individual is no more than a thinly-veiled attack on public service and commonwealth employees.”

Press Secretary from the Office of the Governor, Elizabeth Rementer

Beam cannot legally lobby the health department for one year. Senator Kristin Phillips Hill’s bill would push that window to two years. Rob Caruso supports it and other lobbying reform measures that lawmakers introduce but never seem to pass. “I think it’s recognized in general assembly but unfortunately it hasn’t happened,” Caruso said.

Even good government groups have given up on closing that revolving door. “It is on our agenda but it is dead on arrival in the legislature. There is zero support from anyone in the leadership as far as we can gather for this,” Pollack said.

Caruso also says the state ethics law has not been touched or improved in more than 40 years. It’s time he said.