Editorial: Without gift ban, bribery is all but legal in Pennsylvania

Everyone knows what a bribe is.

It’s the little tit-for-tat that greases the wheels. It’s an enticement that muffles the opposition. Sometimes it’s money. Sometimes it’s an opportunity.

Sometimes it’s even legal. Slip a bill to a host at a restaurant for a good table. No problem.

But sometimes it’s not. Slip a bill to a state senator to change a law for your business? Big problem.

Except when it isn’t — but should be.

Because sometimes a bribe wears a disguise. It dresses up as something else. It masquerades as a gift. That is why it is important that the law on gifts — what is illegal, what isn’t, why and why not — be as clear as glass.

Which makes one wonder why the state Legislature hasn’t jumped on passing an airtight, well-defined gift ban. Are there laws that address it? Yes. Just not good ones. There are too many loopholes. Too much wiggle room. Current law lets an official accept a gift, provided it is disclosed. That is not enough of a limit. The laws need work to actually stop the purchase of favor and hold officials accountable.

Although lawmakers talk a good game about it when asked, it’s one of those things that just never seems to get done. The people charged with writing the rules become like children reluctant to clean their rooms — dragging their feet and finding a million other things to occupy their time instead of the task at hand.

A Spotlight PA story highlighted the fact that MarchOnHarrisburg has been goading lawmakers to take action on a gift ban for six years. The process doesn’t have to take that long. When legislators thought the governor overstepped his authority with pandemic restrictions, they jumped on it, passing a bill that moved to a referendum that became a constitutional amendment in just about year.

It’s amazing how fast a law that won’t apply to lawmakers can happen.

Meanwhile, bills that will limit or just better codify what gifts are and aren’t acceptable for elected officials have a tendency to die of neglect, frequently without ever having a hearing.

Asking why just makes the Legislature sound corrupt. Maybe they are. There definitely have been more than a few who have left office in shame — or handcuffs. The same goes for other nonlegislative elected officials.

Which is why the lawmakers need to address the gift ban. If they don’t want to do it because it’s the right thing to do, they should do it because it’s self-serving.

The people don’t want their elected officials taking bribes. Taking a firm stand and actually passing a strong gift ban into law does what the people want. It is unequivocal. Not passing it, on the other hand, leaves the door open for the voters to wonder why.

Everyone knows what a bribe is. Even if you call it a gift. Legislators need to show the voters that they understand that.