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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 24, 2014 02:14 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Daylin Leach |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Prohibiting Cash Gifts to Legislators |
| In the near future, I will be introducing legislation prohibiting legislators from accepting cash gifts and limiting cash campaign contributions. We've all read recently about allegations of legislators accepting large cash gifts from a lobbyist. I obviously do not know, and do not herein comment on, the truth of any of those allegations. However, in reading the press accounts of the investigation and the allegations that emerged therefrom, I was troubled to learn that there was no legal prohibition against accepting such gifts if they had been offered. I understand that if a gift exceeds the limit, it must be disclosed. However, the nature of cash makes it much more difficult to detect a failure to disclose such as was alleged in the recent investigation. It is critical that to the extent personal gifts and campaign contributions are legal, that there be the maximum possible transparency so that the public may know who is attempting to influence their lawmakers. Cash in envelopes is antithetical to this transparency. Thus, my legislation would do 2 things. 1. It would prohibit all cash, of any amount, as a personal gift from a registered lobbyist, or anyone else who is not a member of a legislator's family. 2. It would limit campaign contributions in cash to $50. It is not uncommon for an ordinary citizen to be inspired by a legislator's campaign speech and offer to help the campaign with a $10 or $20 campaign contribution on the spur of the moment. But once you get above $50, we generally enter into a different category of donor and a check should be required. Please join me in supporting this important legislation. |