House Democrats file ethics complaint against Rodgers Morrisette, Santora and McGarrigle

The Pennsylvania House Democratic Campaign Committee filed ethics complaints against state Rep. Jamie Santora, R-163, of Upper Darby, state Sen. Tom McGarrigle, R-26 of Springfield and Patti Rodgers Morrisette, the Republican running in the 161st state legislative district. Republicans called it a political stunt.

The committee filed two different complaints on Friday, alleging that Santora and McGarrigle broke a rule prohibiting taxpayer-funded mass communication within 60 days of an election for a member who’s a candidate and that Rodgers Morrisette may have solicited and received corporate donations, which would not be permitted under the code.

The Santora/McGarrigle complaint was filed with the state Attorney General’s office, the House Ethics Committee and the state Ethics Commission. It involved a mailer advertising an Oct. 22 Identity Theft Prevention Fair at the GarrettfordDrexel Hill Fire Co. where an industrial shredder will be provided for the public to documents.

“If this was not a violation of the letter of the law, it is certainly a violation of the spirit of the statutes that Rep. Santora and Sen. McGarrigle are tasked with writing and upholding,” Nathan Davidson, executive director of the Democratic committee, said. “We are requesting an investigation into whether Rep. Santora and Sen. McGarrigle colluded to use taxpayer funds to sway the outcome of November’s election.”

McGarrigle said his practice is to invite the local representative to events he hosts, such as Thursday’s Senior Expo in which state Rep. Nicholas Miccarelli, R-162, of Ridley Park was highlighted, as he did in the Oct. 22 event, where he said county District Attorney officials will be present to explain to people how to protect themselves against identity theft.

“That ethics complaint filed by the House Democratic Campaign Committee is completely and utterly baseless and unfounded,” he said. “It’s nothing more than a political stunt. To me, it’s simply a campaign ploy to distract the voters from the real issues that are in the election.”

Santora campaign spokesman Pete Peterson explained there are no blackout dates for legislators hosting community events under House rules and that the mailer in question was approved by the secretary of the state Senate.

“It could not be more clear that there is no violation of the spirit or the letter of the ethics rules,” Peterson said.

In addition, he said, “Jamie Santora and his office were not involved in the production, printing or design of this mailer, they did not use House funds to pay for it and were unaware of its existence until after it was delivered to local residents.”

Peterson said Santora first learned about the complaint on Thursday, despite it being filed six days earlier.

“Under House Ethics rules, legislators are not informed of the existence of a complaint unless it is determined the complaint has any merit,” he said. “The purpose of this Ethics Rule is to prevent legislators from having their reputations besmirched by frivolous claims like these.”

The Rodgers Morrisette complaint was filed with the state Attorney General, the Secretary of the Commonwealth and the Delaware County District Attorney.

It involved a posting on the candidate’s Facebook wall thanking Top Lumber Softball & Baseball Academy for paying $1,500 to host an October event. It also pointed to names of individuals and businesses found on the “contribute” page of her website, patti4pa.com, labeling it “corporate sponsorship.”

“There must be something in the water in Delaware County,” Davidson said. “Between Rodgers and Morrisette’s apparent solicitation and receipt of illegal corporate donations and the Santora-McGarrigle conspiracy, the Republican machine is up to their old tricks. On behalf of every voter in the commonwealth, we are asking for an investigation with the thoroughness deserving of any potential affront to the electoral process, which is the foundation of our democracy.”

Attempts to reach Rodgers Morrisette Thursday were unsuccessful but Peterson, who is also her campaign spokesman, responded to a request for comment.

“This complaint is a desperate and manufactured attempt to distract voters from (incumbent Democrat state Rep.)Leanne KruegerBraneky’s shameful voting record, such as voting to increase the personal income tax on working families by 20 percent and allowing convicted drug dealers to collect welfare,” Peterson said. “Patti’s website states quite clearly that no corporate checks are accepted by her campaign.

“Patti’s campaign has never accepted a corporate check and her campaign finance reports will clearly show that when they are filed later this month,” he continued. “The contributions or sponsorships that the Democrats are attempting to claim are ‘corporate contributions’ were actually contributions from individuals associated with those businesses – they are all personal checks from small business owners.”

Some questioned similar materials generated by Democrats, such as a We the Women event held Oct. 14 for Montgomery County commissioner Val Arkoosh that listed various sponsors and co-sponsors such as Cozen O’Connor, Dilworth Paxton LLP and Duane Morris LLP and a June 23 Birthday Extravaganza for state Sen. Daylin Leach, D-17, of Upper Merion that lists the non-profit Pennsylvania Association for Justice, the Pennsylvania State Education Association and the UFCW Local 1776 in prominent display.

Peterson said the complaints were diversion tactics.

“This is an effort by Krueger-Braneky and her Democratic allies to divert attention from the real issue in the race – Leanne’s horrible record of voting to raise income and sales taxes, her votes to divert money from local school districts and send it to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, her opposition to stiffer penalties on criminals who commit home invasions and many other unjustifiable positions,” Peterson said.

Krueger-Braneky said reform is something that should take place in state campaigns.

“We need campaign finance reform in Pennsylvania period,” she said. “But, to potentially violate the meager laws we have and actually sell corporate sponsorships, maybe she just doesn’t understand the campaign finance law. You can’t sell corporate sponsorships.”

In speaking about the election overall, she stated her support for education.

“I’ve been a very strong advocate for funding our schools in Pennsylvania,” she said, adding that in her 14 months in office, she was able to secure $1.4 million in new funding for the schools in the 161st district.