HomeMy WebLinkAbout80-656 HeptingDavid Hepting
Office of the District Attorney
Court House
Butler, PA 16001
STATE ETHICS COMMISSION
308 FINANCE BUILDING
HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA 17120
May 30, 1980
ADVICE OF COMMISSION
Advice #80 -656
Dear Mr. Hepting:
On March 21, 1980, you requested advice on the need to
file certain information on your Financial Interest Statement.
As an Assistant District Attorney you are a public employee
as that term is used in Act 170.
You are required to disclose the names of clients from whom
you or your wife received $500 or more for providing services
before your governmental body. Otherwise, it is sufficient to
list only the name of her law firm.
There are a number of cases filed in Commonwealth Court
raising the issue of our regulation of solicitors and the
requirement to disclose the names of clients. Injunctions have
been issued in those cases but do not enjoin us from requiring
assistant district attorneys to file. You are therefore required
to file and meet the above client disclosure requirements.
Pursuant to Section 7(9)(ii), this 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, providing the requestor has disclosed truthfully all
the material facts and committed the acts complained of in reliance
on the advice given.
You may appeal this advice to the full Commission.
This letter is a public record and will be made available
as such.
PJS /rdp
PAUL J.
Chairman
ITH