(Editor’s note: This video contains offensive language)
Activists seeking passage of legislation to ban gifts to lawmakers disrupted the Pennsylvania Press Club luncheon Monday in an effort to pressure House leadership to take action on the bill.
The protest occurred as House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre County, had just started speaking to the audience of political, business leaders and journalists at the Hilton Harrisburg when Reid Stever, a representative of MarchOnHarrisburg, left his seat and approached the dais where Benninghoff was standing.
First Stever apologized for the interruption and then proceeded to press Benninghoff for a vote on gift ban legislation, which his grassroots organization has been lobbying for over the past four years. House Bill 1945, which makes it illegal for lawmakers to accept a gift from a lobbyist, won House State Government Committee approval last March but has yet to be brought up for a vote by the full chamber.
“Where do you stand on the gift ban?” Stever said. “We’re one of eight states that allow bribes. We’re the fifth most corrupt state in the country.”
Other members of the activist group moved to the front of the room and held up a banner that read “Why is lawmaker bribery still legal?” Then Matt Brouillette, president and CEO of Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs, left his seat and grabbed the banner out of their hands.
Stever continued talking as PennLive columnist John Baer, who was serving as moderator, told him that Benninghoff would be asked that question later in the event. That didn’t stop Stever.
He continued addressing Benninghoff for a few more moments as a member of the crowd was heard saying “unbelievable” and another said, “we didn’t come to hear you speak.” Yet another shouted “sit down.”
Dave Taylor, president and EO of Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association, was even more direct, “It’s not about you (expletive). This is a public forum. Show some (expletive) respect.”
Benninghoff said to Stever, “Sir, right now, we are trying to make sure people are safe in our country, safe in our state …” before being interrupted by him again.
Hotel security staff and others encouraged the group to leave the room, which they did as they chanted, “Pass the gift ban. Stop taking bribes.” After they cleared the room, Benninghoff said, “On another note, this job does have its challenges.”
The crowd applauded. Benninghoff said, “I appreciate your patience and you did not know in the fee that you paid to be here today also had entertainment.”
Later when he was asked whether nonviolent actions like the ones MarchOnHarrisburg has engaged in on several occasions over the past few years hurt the chances of the gift ban bill getting a vote. Benninghoff said, “those types of things are not helpful obviously.”
But he said if a gift ban is to be considered, “I’d like to know what gifts they are talking about.” He said he doesn’t take gifts but admits he sees value in sharing meals with others.
“I think the most important thing people want to know is are you making your expenditures public, which we do repetitively,” Benninghoff said. “I fill out every ethics form. I’ve always done that. I don’t golf and I don’t drink. I’m a pretty boring guy for the most part but at the end of the day, you want to pass things that are meaningful.”
Afterward, Benninghoff offered kudos to Gov. Tom Wolf for instituting a gift ban when he first took office that applies only to the executive branch. But he also suggested that he thinks it goes too far.
“They can’t even have a drink of water. It’s kind of ridiculous,” he said. “I do believe that the ability to have a threshold that’s reasonable, the public gets that. But at the end of the day, it’s not something the general public or the public is screaming at us about.”
But MarchonHarrisburg is. They favor the bill awaiting action in the House that permits items of nominal value but no more than $250 in a year from any one source. Currently there is no limit on the value of gifts to lawmakers, the only requirement is that gifts of more than $250 in the aggregate must be reported, unless the person giving it is a friend or family member.
“Frankly, we don’t know the full extent of the gift culture in Harrisburg because while legislators only report receiving $40,000 a year in gifts, lobbyists report gifting legislators $1.5 million a year in gifts,” said Rabbi Michael Pollack, MarchonHarrisburg executive director. “But even with full perfect transparency, unlimited gifts are still a corruption problem.”
Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.