Scarnati denies link between donations, legislation

Pennsylvania Senate Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati’s office denied a report written by Spotlight PA and The Caucus that stated he and lobbyists were pushing for legislation that would vastly expand gambling in Pennsylvania.

In a statement, Mr. Scarnati denied the link between monetary contributions to his campaign and legislative support for additional gambling, calling the report “appalling.”

“I have not advocated for members of the Senate to support video gambling legislation,” the statement read. “In fact — in the past I actively worked against legislation that had been proposed for VGTs [video gaming terminals].”

The article, which appeared in Friday’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which is a journalism partner with Spotlight PA, said Mr. Scarnati and lobbyists for deep-pocketed video gaming companies, many from out of state, were pushing for the legislation.

Spotlight PA and The Caucus defended their story in a tweet Friday.

“We @SpotlightPA and @CaucusPA stand firmly behind our reporting on this story. Our reporters remain undeterred in their commitment to fearless journalism that serves Pennsylvania citizens and holds their elected leaders accountable.”

The legislation in question would allow bars, restaurants, clubs and other establishments with liquor licenses to have VGTs. As current legislation stands, only truck stops are allowed to have VGTs.

In his statement, Mr. Scarnati noted that Spotlight PA accepts donations from individuals and organizations as one method of funding the publication.

Mr. Scarnati closed his statement by saying that he would meet “any further false media statements” with legal action.