'Stop taking bribes,' protesters urge Pennsylvania lawmakers

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Urging lawmakers to “stop taking bribes,” demonstrators returned to Pennsylvania’s Capitol on Wednesday to press lawmakers to pass legislation banning them from taking gifts from lobbyists and others aiming to influence them. Demonstrators from MarchOn- Harrisburg unfurled banners on the Capitol steps and chanted “pass the gift ban, stop taking bribes.”

Gift-ban legislation is routinely introduced and sees no action, despite pledges from top lawmakers to support it.

Lobbyists and advocacy groups in Pennsylvania routinely give lawmakers free meals, travel and tickets to expensive sporting or entertainment events. The Pennsylvania Legislature is an outlier in that it does not limit how much lawmakers can accept from lobbyists and others, and much of it does not have to be reported publicly.

Most other states have laws limiting the extent of gifts that lawmakers may accept, according to the National Conference on State Legislatures.

https://www.indianagazette.com/news/stop-taking-bribes-protesters-urge-pennsylvania-lawmakers/article_b0b8931d-07aa-5e8f-8cbc-95ca73f327cd.html