Pa. House Ethics Committee accepting complaints online

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives Ethics Committee is now officially organized and open for business.

The eight-member bipartisan committee met on Thursday for the first time to adopt its rules and hold an hourlong private conversation.

At the private session’s conclusion, committee Chairwoman Donna Bullock, D-Philadelphia, announced that a complaint process will soon be available on the committee’s website for anyone who experiences sexual harassment or discrimination by a sitting House member or current House employee on House property or at a Housesponsored meeting or event.

The adopted House rules for the 2023-24 legislative session also allow for anyone who has an ethics complaint for an action from as far back as five years ago to file a complaint against a current member or employee.

Prior to this legislative session, the House rules limited the Ethics Committee’s role to receiving harassment complaints from current House members or employees. However, at a January hearing held by former House Speaker Mark Rozzi, D-Berks County, a labor union’s director pointed out that rule’s limitations.

SEIU 32BJ’s Andi Perez shared her story of trying to file an ethics complaint with the House about a lawmaker, who she later named as the former Delaware County Democratic state Rep. Mike Zabel, of unwanted groping in 2019. Ms. Perez said she was told at that time the House’s rules only permitted employees and members to file complaints.

As a result of her accusation and at least two other individuals who stepped forward with similar accusations of sexual misconduct against Mr. Zabel, the state representative resigned from his 163rd legislative district seat effective Thursday morning, two hours before the ethics committee’s organization meeting.

That leaves the House with 101 Democrats and 100 Republicans with two vacancies. Both seats will be filled in the May 16 primary.