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PACleanSweep's continuing focus on convincing lawmakers to repay their unvouchered expense payments from the now-repealed July 7 pay raise has revealed that House rules prohibit members from donating any expense money to charity. Several members have cited charitable contributions as the final destination of the funds and some members have used such giving as a reason for not repaying the money.

According to The Pennsylvania Manual (Volume 116), House Rule 14 states: "No money appropriated for members' and employees' expenses shall be used for contributions to political parties or their affiliated organizations or to charitable organizations or for charitable advertisements." PACleanSweep has confirmed with House Parliamentarian Clancy Myer that Rule 14 has not been altered since the Manual's publishing date.

"This poses a conundrum for quite a few lawmakers," said PACleanSweep Research Director Leo Knepper. "On one hand, if they consider the extra money salary, they're in violation of Article II Section 8 of the Constitution. On the other hand, if it's expense money the members who gave it to charity are apparently in violation of House Rule 14."

The situation came to light after PACleanSweep Chair Russ Diamond visited the offices of the Chief Clerk of the House and the House Comptroller, where he was handed a pamphlet entitled House of Representatives Guidelines for Public Review of Payroll and Expenditure Records in response to a verbal request for a list of incumbents and their status regarding unvouchered expenses.

The guide defines its purpose as a method "to provide an orderly manner for the examination of this information and to minimize the additional burden on the offices of the Comptroller and the Chief Clerk," details requirements for submitting a written request for information and cites Rule 14.

PACleanSweep has submitted a written request to the Chief Clerk of the House for unvouchered expense information. The Chief Clerk of the Senate has provided a full list to the grassroots movement and 14 Senators were immediately removed from the group's online "Unvouchered Expense Hall of Shame" last week.

"We believe the Clerk's office could provide such a list in short order," said Diamond. "Simply send a single email to all members asking if and when they've repaid the money. When they respond, confirm it with their records. Compile a list as you go and publish it when it's complete."

One House member - Representative Frank Pistella - responded on his own by submitting a copy of a cashier's check for $4,204.62 representing his repayment on November 21, five days after the pay raise was repealed. PACleanSweep received the documentation via mail and removed Pistella's listing from the Hall of Shame on Saturday.

"We appreciate that Representative Pistella understands the right of the people to have access to such information. We encourage all other House members to follow suit and/or pressure leadership to direct the Clerk to get on this post haste," concluded Diamond.