'We're going after the system': Why Pa. activists see Capitol reform opportunities in '22.

Rabbi Michael Pollack wants to end "legalized bribes" in the commonwealth's Capitol — and members of his organization see reasons for optimism in the coming year.

Pennsylvania legislators and other officials are not barred from accepting meals, hotel stays and gifts of all varieties from lobbyists under existing law. Pollack and other members of his nonprofit MarchOnHarrisburg organization believe this creates conflicts of interest and a culture of dishonesty in Harrisburg that has an impact on the entire commonwealth.

"We're going after the system of corruption," Pollack said, "which, across the board, Pennsylvanians are on board about."

What is MarchOnHarrisburg?

In the spring of 2016, the eventual founders of MarchOnHarrisburg met during a 140-mile walk from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. as part of "Democracy Spring" protest to take big money out of politics. This loose, grassroots coalition has since established a governing board of founding members that oversees two full-time organizers and one part-time organizer.

"We are 100% nonpartisan," said Pollack, a 32-year-old resident of south Philadelphia who works as the group's executive director.

"We were a group of people who were very disillusioned. A lot of us came from different issue fights ... and we all just came running into the same obstacle: Money talks."

Though members lobby for a variety of changes — automatic voter registration, ranked choice voting and a "democracy dollars" system of publicly funding elections — the gift ban remains a top priority.

"It's just a culture of corruption," Pollack said. "If you can walk into a legislator's office and bribe them, that's corruption. It's just legalized bribery."

"These aren't partisan issues, they are power issues."

What PA law requires

Though some gifts and other contributions to legislators and public officials are to be recorded under Pennsylvania law, Pollack and other reform advocates believe firm restrictions are needed.

Title 65 of the Pennsylvania Code states that officials have to report the source and amount of any gifts exceeding $250 in total or aggregate value. Transportation, lodging and hospitality perks that exceed $650 per year are also to be recorded.

A report from the House Government Oversight Committee suggests that lobbyists spent more than $1.6 million in gifts, transportation and lodging for state lawmakers, officials and their families in 2019 alone.

According to Pollack, the recorded figures don't scratch the surface. Numerous loopholes allow Harrisburg influencers to lavish legislators with all kinds of benefits outside of the public eye.

"Frankly, there's so little transparency," he said.

House Bill 1009 would have addressed concerns

One piece of legislation that could have addressed this, in part, was House Bill 1009.

Sponsored by state Rep. Aaron Kaufer (R-Luzerne), the measure would have barred lobbyists from offering transportation, lodging, recreation and entertainment. It also would have prohibited public officials and employees from accepting a gift or gifts valued at more than $250 per calendar year, with a $500 penalty per violation, plus reimbursement of the gift or gifts' total value.

"The public holds a negative perception of the role that lobbyists play in the decision-making process of the Commonwealth’s policymakers," Kaufer wrote in his sponsorship memo. "This perception erodes the public’s confidence in our government, even when no actual impropriety occurs."

The bill, according to Pollack, passed with unanimous bipartisan support in the House State Government Committee. But it never arrived for a floor vote.

"The trick is always blocking the votes, just not letting the votes happen," he said.

"That's one of the things about this issue. It can't publicly defend itself."

Pollack has blamed leaders on both sides for the aisle for this breakdown — namely House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin) and House Whip Jordan Harris (D-Philadelphia).

Though Benninghoff is stepping down from his leadership role in the House, Harris is returning as Whip next session. Harris did not return a call to his office Wednesday seeking comment, but he's on record defending practices such as lobbyist-paid meals.

"There's a tension at the meeting table that doesn't happen at the dinner table," Harris said in a 2019 Associated Press report. "And it's because of that that people are actually able to get things done."

PA gift ban in 2023?

To Pollack, however, the new year presents an opportunity.

A significant number of lawmakers in leadership roles, he said, have retired or been voted out of office. He believes newcomers may be more welcoming of changes than longtime fixtures of the so-called "swamp" in Harrisburg.

"We're going make it so," Pollack said.

"As MarchOnHarrisburg, we just keep getting better at what we do. We're definitely coming back next session to pass the gift ban."

Successful or not, Pollack has already earned the respect of Gus Tatlas, a longtime Harrisburg observer who helped establish the newly formed Keystone Party of Pennsylvania earlier this year.

"I really appreciate groups like MarchOnHarrisburg that are truly nonpartisan," he said. "They don't play favorites."

"They are probably the most educated people on what the issues are with the legislative process in Harrisburg."

Tatlas said he became familiar with the group approximately a year ago. At the time he was contemplating leaving politics and focusing solely on activism.

He called Pollack and his organization "the most noble of lobbyists" because they're seeking more honest government, not profit.

"That's what we really need," Tatlas said. "We need advocates for the individual person, not (people) thinking about 'team red' or 'team blue.'"

"I think these activist groups are essential to American politics."

The work, according to Pollack, feels like a calling.

"'Your leaders are rebels, the companions of thieves,'" he said, quoting the Bible's Book of Isaiah. "'All of them love bribes and demand payoffs, but they refuse to defend the cause of orphans or fight for the rights of widows.'"

He added: "Legislators are spending time chasing money, campaign gifts, influence, and they're scheming against each other. When that's what you're doing, you're not paying attention to the people."

Bruce Siwy is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network's Pennsylvania state capital bureau. He can be reached at bsiwy@gannett.com or on Twitter at @BruceSiwy.