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HomeMy WebLinkAbout13-545 Confidential ADVICE OF COUNSEL June 11, 2013 13-545 This responds to your letter dated April 27, 2013, and your faxed transmission received May 6, 2013, by which you requested a confidential advisory from the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission. Issue: Whether the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act (“Ethics Act”), 65 Pa.C.S. § 1101 et seq., would impose any prohibitions or restrictions upon employment of the A of the B Office within Commonwealth Agency C following termination of Commonwealth service. Facts: You request a confidential advisory from the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission regarding the post-employment restrictions of the Ethics Act. You have submitted facts that may be fairly summarized as follows. You are currently employed as the A of the B Office within Commonwealth Agency C. You have submitted a copy of your official Commonwealth position description, which document is incorporated herein by reference. On [date], you received a tentative offer of employment from a D firm (the “Firm”) to serve as an E. You state that your job responsibilities would include managing an F that the Firm currently holds with Commonwealth Agency G, H Office and other [type of initiatives] in Pennsylvania. You further state that in your current position with Commonwealth Agency C, you have had no opportunity or need to be involved in any practices with Commonwealth Agency G on [type of issues]. You seek guidance as to whether the Ethics Act would impose any prohibitions or restrictions upon you with regard to accepting employment with the Firm as an E. It is administratively noted that as the A of the B Office, you serve on the I. Position Description, at 3. Discussion: It is initially noted that pursuant to Sections 1107(10) and 1107(11) of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §§ 1107(10), (11), advisories are issued to the requester based upon the facts that the requester has submitted. In issuing the advisory based upon the facts that the requester has submitted, the Commission does not engage in an independent investigation of the facts, nor does it speculate as to facts that have not been submitted. It is the burden of the requester to truthfully disclose all of the material Confidential Advice, 13-545 June 11, 2013 Page 2 facts relevant to the inquiry. 65 Pa.C.S. §§ 1107(10), (11). An advisory only affords a defense to the extent the requester has truthfully disclosed all of the material facts. It is further initially noted that, pursuant to the same aforesaid Sections of the Ethics Act, an opinion/advice may be given only as to prospective (future) conduct. To the extent that your inquiry relates to conduct that has already occurred, such past conduct may not be addressed in the context of an advisory opinion. However, to the extent your inquiry relates to future conduct, your inquiry may and shall be addressed. Pursuant to Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act, a public official/public employee is prohibited from engaging in conduct that constitutes a conflict of interest: § 1103. Restricted activities (a)Conflict of interest.-- No public official or public employee shall engage in conduct that constitutes a conflict of interest. 65 Pa.C.S. § 1103(a). The following terms related to Section 1103(a) are defined in the Ethics Act as follows: § 1102. Definitions "Conflict" or "conflict of interest." Use by a public official or public employee of the authority of his office or employment or any confidential information received through his holding public office or employment for the private pecuniary benefit of himself, a member of his immediate family or a business with which he or a member of his immediate family is associated. The term does not include an action having a de minimis economic impact or which affects to the same degree a class consisting of the general public or a subclass consisting of an industry, occupation or other group which includes the public official or public employee, a member of his immediate family or a business with which he or a member of his immediate family is associated. "Authority of office or employment." The actual power provided by law, the exercise of which is necessary to the performance of duties and responsibilities unique to a particular public office or position of public employment. 65 Pa.C.S. § 1102. Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act prohibits a public official/public employee from using the authority of public office/employment or confidential information received by holding such a public position for the private pecuniary benefit of the public official/public employee himself, any member of his immediate family, or a business with which he or a member of his immediate family is associated. The use of authority of office is not limited merely to voting, but extends to any use of authority of office including, but not limited to, discussing, conferring with others, and lobbying for a particular result. Juliante, Order 809. Confidential Advice, 13-545 June 11, 2013 Page 3 Sections 1103(b) and 1103(c) of the Ethics Act provide in part that no person shall offer or give to a public official/public employee anything of monetary value and no public official/public employee shall solicit or accept anything of monetary value based upon the understanding that the vote, official action, or judgment of the public official/public employee would be influenced thereby. Reference is made to these provisions of the law not to imply that there has been or will be any transgression thereof but merely to provide a complete response to the question presented. As the A of the B Office within Commonwealth Agency C, you would be considered a public employee and an “executive-level State employee” subject to the Ethics Act and the Regulations of the State Ethics Commission. See, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1102; 51 Pa. Code § 11.1. Consequently, upon termination of Commonwealth employment, you would become a former public employee and a former executive-level State employee subject to the restrictions of Section 1103(g) and Section 1103(i) of the Ethics Act. Section 1103(i) restricts former executive-level State employees as follows: § 1103. Restricted activities (i)Former executive-level employee.-- No former executive-level State employee may for a period of two years from the time that he terminates employment with this Commonwealth be employed by, receive compensation from, assist or act in a representative capacity for a business or corporation that he actively participated in recruiting to this Commonwealth or that he actively participated in inducing to open a new plant, facility or branch in this Commonwealth or that he actively participated in inducing to expand an existent plant or facility within this Commonwealth, provided that the above prohibition shall be invoked only when the recruitment or inducement is accomplished by a grant or loan of money or a promise of a grant or loan of money from the Commonwealth to the business or corporation recruited or induced to expand. 65 Pa.C.S. § 1103(i). Section 1103(i) restricts the ability of a former executive-level State employee to accept employment or otherwise engage in business relationships following termination of State service, under certain narrow conditions. The restrictions of Section 1103(i) apply even where the business relationship is indirect, such as where the business in question is a client of a new employer, rather than the new employer itself. See, Confidential Opinion, 94-011. However, Section 1103(i) would not restrict you from being employed by, receiving compensation from, assisting, or acting in a representative capacity for a business such as the Firm subject to the conditions that you did not actively participate in recruiting such business to Pennsylvania, and that you did not actively participate in inducing such business to open or expand a plant, facility, or branch in Pennsylvania, through a grant or loan of money or a promise of a grant or loan of money from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Unlike Section 1103(i), Section 1103(g) does not prohibit a former public official/public employee from accepting a position of employment. However, it does restrict the former public official/public employee with regard to “representing” a “person” before “the governmental body with which he has been associated”: Confidential Advice, 13-545 June 11, 2013 Page 4 § 1103. Restricted activities (g)Former official or employee.-- No former public official or public employee shall represent a person, with promised or actual compensation, on any matter before the governmental body with which he has been associated for one year after he leaves that body. 65 Pa.C.S. § 1103(g) (Emphasis added). The terms “represent,” “person,” and "governmental body with which a public official or public employee is or has been associated" are specifically defined in the Ethics Act as follows: § 1102. Definitions "Represent." To act on behalf of any other person in any activity which includes, but is not limited to, the following: personal appearances, negotiations, lobbying and submitting bid or contract proposals which are signed by or contain the name of a former public official or public employee. "Person." A business, governmental body, individual, corporation, union, association, firm, partnership, committee, club or other organization or group of persons. "Governmental body with which a public official or public employee is or has been associated." The governmental body within State government or a political subdivision by which the public official or employee is or has been employed or to which the public official or employee is or has been appointed or elected and subdivisions and offices within that governmental body. 65 Pa.C.S. § 1102. The term "Person" is very broadly defined. It includes, inter alia, corporations and other businesses. It also includes the former public official/public employee himself, Confidential Opinion, 93-005, as well as a new governmental employer. Ledebur, Opinion 95-007. The term "represent" is also broadly defined to prohibit acting on behalf of any person in any activity. Examples of prohibited representation include: (1) personal appearances before the former governmental body or bodies; (2) attempts to influence; (3) submission of bid or contract proposals which are signed by or contain the name of the former public official/public employee; (4) participating in any matters before the former governmental body as to acting on behalf of a person; and (5) lobbying. Popovich, Opinion 89-005. Listing one's name as the person who will provide technical assistance on a proposal, document, or bid, if submitted to or reviewed by the former governmental body, constitutes an attempt to influence the former governmental body. Section 1103(g) also generally prohibits the inclusion of the name of a former public official/public employee on invoices submitted by his new employer to the former governmental body, even if the invoices pertain to a contract that existed prior to termination of service with such governmental body. Shay, Opinion 91-012. However, Confidential Advice, 13-545 June 11, 2013 Page 5 if such a pre-existing contract does not involve the unit where a former public employee worked, the name of the former public employee may appear on routine invoices if required by the regulations of the agency to which the billing is being submitted. Abrams/Webster, Opinion 95-011. A former public official/public employee may assist in the preparation of any documents presented to his former governmental body. However, the former public employee may not be identified on documents submitted to the former governmental body. The former public employee may also counsel any person regarding that person's appearance before his former governmental body. Once again, however, the activity in this respect should not be revealed to the former governmental body. The Ethics Act would not prohibit or preclude making general informational inquiries to the former governmental body to secure information which is available to the general public, but this must not be done in an effort to indirectly influence the former governmental body or to otherwise make known to that body the representation of, or work for, the new employer. Section 1103(g) only restricts the former public employee with regard to representation before his former governmental body. The former public employee is not restricted as to representation before other agencies or entities. However, the “governmental body with which a public employee is or has been associated” is not limited to the particular subdivision of the agency or other governmental body where the public employee had influence or control but extends to the entire body. See, Legislative Journal of House, 1989 Session, No. 15 at 290, 291; Sirolli, Opinion 90-006; Sharp, Opinion 90-009-R. The governmental body with which you would be deemed to have been associated upon termination of Commonwealth employment, hereinafter collectively referred to as your “former governmental body,” would be Commonwealth Agency C in its entirety and all boards, commissions, and other governmental bodies that you served as an employee, appointee/member, or designee, except for those bodies whose members are not considered public officials/public employees subject to the Ethics Act. Cf., Conti, Opinion 07-007; Hafer, Opinion 04-016; Confidential Opinion, 01-006; Sandusky, Advice 13-515; Smetak, Advice 07-585. Therefore, for the first year following termination of your employment with Commonwealth Agency C, Section 1103(g) of the Ethics Act would apply and restrict “representation” of a “person” before your former governmental body. You are advised that Section 1103(g) of the Ethics Act would not prohibit you from accepting employment as an E for the Firm. However, during the first year following termination of your employment with Commonwealth Agency C, Section 1103(g) of the Ethics Act would prohibit you from performing any job duty(ies) that would involve prohibited representation before your former governmental body as delineated above. With regard to Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act, an advisory cannot provide a ruling as to past conduct. You are generally advised that the elements of a violation of Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act would not be established as a result of your prospectively entering into a business relationship with the Firm subject to the conditions that you: (1) did not use the authority of your public position in any matter pertaining to the Firm when you had an actual or reasonable expectation that you would enter into a business arrangement with the Firm or would otherwise receive a private pecuniary benefit relating to the Firm; and (2) did not otherwise use the authority of your public position or confidential information received as a result of being in your public position in furtherance of securing a business arrangement with the Firm or other private pecuniary benefit relating to the Firm. Cf., Desmond, Opinion 08-004. Confidential Advice, 13-545 June 11, 2013 Page 6 Lastly, the propriety of the proposed conduct has only been addressed under the Ethics Act; the applicability of any other statute, code, ordinance, regulation or other code of conduct other than the Ethics Act has not been considered in that they do not involve an interpretation of the Ethics Act. Specifically not addressed herein is the applicability of the J. Conclusion: As the A of the B Office within Commonwealth Agency C, you would be considered a public employee and an “executive-level State employee” subject to the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act (“Ethics Act”), 65 Pa.C.S. § 1101 et seq., and the Regulations of the State Ethics Commission, 51 Pa. Code § 11.1 et seq. Upon termination of Commonwealth employment, you would become a former public employee and a former executive-level State employee subject to the restrictions of Section 1103(g) and Section 1103(i) of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §§ 1103(g), 1103(i). Under Section 1103(i) of the Ethics Act, you would not be prohibited from being employed by, receiving compensation from, assisting, or acting in a representative capacity for a business, such as the D firm (the “Firm”) from which you have received a tentative offer of employment, subject to the conditions that you did not actively participate in recruiting such business to Pennsylvania, and that you did not actively participate in inducing such business to open or expand a plant, facility, or branch in Pennsylvania, through a grant or loan of money or a promise of a grant or loan of money from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The governmental body with which you would be deemed to have been associated upon termination of Commonwealth employment, hereinafter collectively referred to as your “former governmental body,” would be Commonwealth Agency C in its entirety and all boards, commissions, and other governmental bodies that you served as an employee, appointee/member, or designee, except for those bodies whose members are not considered public officials/public employees subject to the Ethics Act. You are advised that Section 1103(g) of the Ethics Act would not prohibit you from accepting employment as an E for the Firm. However, during the first year following termination of your employment with Commonwealth Agency C, Section 1103(g) of the Ethics Act would apply and restrict “representation” of a “person” before your former governmental body. The restrictions as to representation outlined above must be followed. With regard to Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act, an advisory cannot provide a ruling as to past conduct. You are generally advised that the elements of a violation of Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act would not be established as a result of your prospectively entering into a business relationship with the Firm subject to the conditions that you: (1) did not use the authority of your public position in any matter pertaining to the Firm when you had an actual or reasonable expectation that you would enter into a business arrangement with the Firm or would otherwise receive a private pecuniary benefit relating to the Firm; and (2) did not otherwise use the authority of your public position or confidential information received as a result of being in your public position in furtherance of securing a business arrangement with the Firm or other private pecuniary benefit relating to the Firm. Lastly, the propriety of the proposed conduct has only been addressed under the Ethics Act. Pursuant to Section 1107(11) of the Ethics Act, an Advice is a complete defense in any enforcement proceeding initiated by the Commission, and evidence of good faith conduct in any other civil or criminal proceeding, provided the requester has disclosed truthfully all the material facts and committed the acts complained of in reliance on the Advice given. This letter is a public record and will be made available as such. Confidential Advice, 13-545 June 11, 2013 Page 7 Finally, if you disagree with this Advice or if you have any reason to challenge same, you may appeal the Advice to the full Commission. A personal appearance before the Commission will be scheduled and a formal Opinion will be issued by the Commission. Any such appeal must be in writing and must be actually received at the Commission within thirty (30) days of the date of this Advice pursuant to 51 Pa. Code § 13.2(h). The appeal may be received at the Commission by hand delivery, United States mail, delivery service, or by FAX transmission (717-787-0806). Failure to file such an appeal at the Commission within thirty (30) days may result in the dismissal of the appeal. Sincerely, Robin M. Hittie Chief Counsel