PA is the gift that keeps on giving

There is more than a little irony in the fact that, just days after Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane resigned her post in the rubble of her felony convictions, suddenly the spotlight shifted to Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams.

The two Democrats had been jousting for months over the story at the heart of Kane’s problems.

It was a story that shed light on Kane’s decision to pull the plug on a sting operation that caught several Philadelphia legislators accepting cash and gifts that infuriated the attorney general and set her off on a vengeful vendetta that eventually led her to leak confidential documents and then lie about it to a grand jury.

Kane had criticized the sting operation, led by her rival Frank Fina, calling it sloppy and even perhaps tinged with a racial overtone. All the legislators snared were African American.

In railing against the probe, Kane suggested maybe the Philly D.A. should try to prove the case.

So Williams did just that, winning convictions or plea deals from one elected official after another.

Fast forward a few months, and a few days after that felony conviction provided an emphatic exclamation point on Kane’s fall from grace.

That’s when Williams decided to make public a list of gifts that he had previously failed to note in his financial disclosure forms.

It’s quite a list — air fare to pricey resorts, lodging, cash, sideline passes to Eagles games, even a new roof for his house. The total amount comes to a staggering $160,000.

Another irony here is that the total of Williams’ booty far exceeded the comparatively paltry amounts for which he had hauled that parade of rogue Pennsylvania elected officials in front of a judge.

Remember, this is Pennsylvania, where lavishing gifts on public officials is a way of life.

The difference, if you care to view it that way, is intent.

It’s pretty simple, really. There is nothing illegal in an elected official in Pennsylvania accepting gifts, so long as there is not expectation of public influence or other official action in exchange for such favors.

Yes, it’s a gray area. And one that Pennsylvania has allowed to fester far too long.

There is no evidence that Williams did anything for the people who showered with him money or other favors. The same can not be said for the slew of officials caught in the sting operation that Williams’ office prosecuted.

It’s a fine line. One the state should eradicate. Any number of attempts have been made to change the system. None of them have managed to change the status quo.

And make no mistake. The status quo in Pennsylvania is the same as the status quo in so many places. Money talks. Williams’ own lawyer, Sam Stretton, admitted his client’s actions constituted a “terrible mistake.”

He’ll get no argument from us. Plus there is this: It looks terrible. Then again, this is Pennsylvania, and that is something taxpayers have gotten used to, legislators and other public officials who win office, then go about the process of helping themselves instead of the public.

They don’t call much of what goes on in Harrisburg the “public trough” for nothing.

It’s an idea – and an image – that has not been lost on Gov. Tom Wolf. He campaigned on the idea of being “a different kind of governor.”

He vowed to work for “Government That Works.” In fact he created an entire legislative agenda around it, a pledge to make state government more honest and transparent. High on that list was a push to ban all gifts to state legislators, including gifts, dinners, tickets, just the kinds of things that Seth Williams just made public.

Of course, to make that happen, he needs the support of the Legislature. That’s right, it’s more than a little bit like the having the fox guarding the chicken coop. If you think legislators might be a little reluctant to change the way things are, you would be on the money. Literally. None of the proposals has become law.

The hypocrisy in Seth Williams prosecuting legislators caught with their hands in the cookie jar is monumental.

Just keep telling yourself it’s all about intent. Those bad legislators indicated they would take some type of action in return for the “favors,” while Seth Williams said he merely was enjoying gifts from his friends.

Williams is running for re-election, and no doubt moved to make these gifts public, take his lumps now, and roll to victory in the overwhelmingly Democratic city.

It’s time for Pennsylvania officials to look in the mirror and honestly answer that question.

Then they need to do the right thing, banning gifts to public officials except when they come from family members.

Until then, we’re stuck with the way things have always been.

Pennsylvania, for a public official, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.