Governor Tom Wolf To State Agencies: Adopt a Gift Ban!

In the wake of Kathleen Kane's squashed investigation into cash presents, the Democrat is making gift bans a priority.

Photos by Jeff Fusco

Photos by Jeff Fusco

Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf is pushing for more than two dozen independent state agencies to ban gifts to all employees.

In a letter to the leaders of state commissions, authorities and other agencies, Wolf wrote Tuesday that they should enact a ban similar to the one he put in effect on his first day in office. He signed an executive order banning gifts to all executive branch employees.

Good-government advocates have renewed their call for gift bans in recent months, following Attorney General Kathleen Kane’s quashed investigation into state legislators who allegedly accepted cash gifts.

After Wolf signed his executive order, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board also enacted gift bans for employees.

Here’s the letter:

As elected and appointed leaders, we have a duty to be responsible stewards of the democratic process and taxpayer’s hard-earned money. Too often our leaders take advantage of the public, but I am committed to making government work so we can restore the public’s trust and make sure we are being open and transparent. That is why moments after I was sworn in, I signed an executive order banning gifts for all employees of the executive branch, and also why I required members of my staff and cabinet to undergo ethics and open records training on my first full day in office. 

Last week, both the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board revised their existing policies to conform to my executive order banning gifts. I commend both of these organizations and their leadership for each taking a strong step toward increasing the public’s faith in their organizations and state government.

I urge each and every Commonwealth commission, board, authority, agency and council to follow our lead and revise your policies in line with the attached executive order.

Thank you for your service to the Commonwealth. 

Sincerely,

Governor Tom Wolf