BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Pennsylvania remains one of just three states without limits on gifts to state lawmakers, and the head of an advocacy group says banning those gifts is the most attainable step toward reducing the influence of money in state politics.
Appearing on this week’s episode of Lehigh Valley Political Pulse, Rabbi Michael Pollack, executive director of March on Harrisburg, said his organization continues to make a statewide gift ban its top legislative priority.
"We have no gift ban in Pennsylvania," Pollack said. "You can give unlimited anything to state-level public officials in Pennsylvania. There's no limit. Super Bowl tickets, international vacations, endless wining and dining, concert tickets – these are all common and normal."
Pollack said his organization uses protests and civil disobedience alongside traditional lobbying because direct action forces elected officials to confront the issue.
"Nonviolent civil disobedience has a very successful track record of getting things done in society," he said. "It's getting in their face. It's getting into their office, getting into the hallways, getting into the campaign fundraisers, going to the golf courses and forcing that encounter through disruption.
"It means saying to the politicians you cannot look away from this. You have to actually face this problem."
While gifts represent only a small portion of money flowing into politics compared with campaign contributions and independent expenditures, Pollack said the issue resonates because it is easy for voters to understand.
"Gifts are, frankly, the easiest to understand," he said. "It's the lowest-hanging fruit on the rotten-money-in-politics tree."
Host Tom Shortell asked Pollack about a past example involving Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel, who accepted World Series tickets while serving on Allentown City Council after voting to support funding for upgrades to Coca-Cola Park.
Pollack said the timing of a gift does not eliminate concerns about influence.
"It really doesn't matter if the gift or the item of value comes before or during or after the official action is taken," he said. "The fact that that's legally permissible is the problem in itself."
Pollack said gift ban legislation has twice advanced unanimously out of the House State Government Committee, in 2019 and 2021, but has stalled before receiving full legislative votes.
"The problem is the gatekeepers," he said, referring to legislative leaders who determine whether bills receive floor consideration.
Pollack also criticized House Democratic leadership for failing to advance the proposal despite controlling the chamber for two sessions.
"The Republicans did indeed get the gift ban out of committee at least twice, and the Democrats now with two sessions under their belt of House control have failed to do it both times," he said.
Beyond a gift ban, Pollack said March on Harrisburg supports a 24-point reform platform that includes campaign finance changes, ending gerrymandering, ranked-choice voting and limits on corporate political spending. However, Pollack said the success of any reform effort ultimately depends on public engagement.
"Everything that we work on ... depends on the strength of the movement and the ability of the movement to organize and wage our nonviolent tactics and push things forward," he said.
Watch the full episode in the YouTube player above or subscribe at https://www.youtube.com/@LehighValleyPublicMedia.
And don’t forget to sign up for the Political Pulse newsletter at https://www.lehighvalleypublicmedia.org/newsletters/.