Letters: What’s the Hold Up on Gift Ban for Pa. Legislators?; Not Falling for ‘Alternative Facts’

Kerry Benninghoff, Pennsylvania’s House Majority Leader, is now the only person standing in the way of the bipartisan and extremely popular gift ban bill for our legislators. This important anti-corruption measure was approved in October 2021, when the House State Government Committee approved House Bill 1009  out of committee.

This bill restricts lobbyist gifts to legislators, and while it still permits businesses and individuals to provide gifts, this bill would be a good start to removing corruption from our government. As the Majority Leader, Benninghoff sets the agenda for the House by deciding on which bills can make it to the floor for discussion, debate and votes. By willfully ignoring this legislation, Benninghoff is the person preventing any gift ban from being placed on  legislators. 

This is a pattern for Benninghoff. In the 2019-2020 session a stronger gift ban bill (House Bill 1945) was put forth and passed in committee, only to fail to be brought up for discussion on the House floor. During this time, Benninghoff was  the Majority Whip and failed to use his influence to get that bill onto the floor to reduce the threat of political corruption. 

Do people have faith in Benninghoff’s ability as Majority Leader to get the job done? If Benninghoff has the political will to take some potential corruption out of Pennsylvanian politics, then he would bring forth this bill and set it on the  agenda because that is his job. Why won’t Benninghoff work against political corruption?

Robert Zeigler,
Millheim

The author is a candidate for Pennsylvania Senate in the 34th District.

Facts vs. “BS” and the Corman campaign

It’s chilling, but not surprising that Jake Corman has engaged Kellyanne Conway as his campaign “special adviser.” Of course, who can forget that she famously coined the phrase “alternative facts,” when defending Sean Spicer’s demonstrably false statement about the attendance numbers at Donald Trump’s inauguration. But we all know that “alternative facts” is a shameless euphemism. There are real facts—and then there is BS.

Fact: Donald Trump lost the 2020 election in Pennsylvania and nationwide. The courts said it, the election boards said it, and Trump’s Justice Department said it. (Nonetheless, Jake wants an election audit, at taxpayer expense, because to him, there are “alternative facts,” peddled by the world’s most notorious liar.)

Fact: Jake relishes gifts and perks from lobbyists.

BS: Jake claims he’s concerned about government corruption, yet he lets the anticorruption bill languish in committee.

Fact: Jake has held fundraisers and accepted money from political groups disguised as nonprofits to avoid government and public scrutiny of his donors (also known as “dark money”).

BS: Jake’s public stance is to support campaign finance laws, yet his caucus has made no move to legislate on it. He claims to be about transparency, however he keeps the source of his campaign funds secret.

And now, he has hired America’s most adept shyster to spin some more BS aimed at Pennsylvania voters. We won’t fall for it!

Marilyn Goldfarb,
Boalsburg