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HomeMy WebLinkAbout378 SaloomMr. Eugene G. Saloom P.O. Box 14 Mt. Pleasant, PA 15666 Re: 84 -155 -C Dear Mr. Saloom: STATE ETHICS COMMISSION 308 FINANCE BUILDING HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA (7120 ORDER OF THE COMMISSION April 18, 1985 Order No. 378 s The State Ethics Commission has received a complaint regarding you and a possible violation of Act 170 of 1978. The Commission has now completed its investigation. The individual allegations, conclusions, and findings on which those conclusions are based are as follow: I. Allegation: That you, a State Representative used or are using your public office for personal financial benefit, thereby violating Section 3(a) of the Ethics Act, 65 P.S. 403(a) by posting stickers /posters supporting your re- election in the Borough Building on Etze Avenue, Mt. Pleasant, which is the site of your local, district legislative office and by having your campaign literature available in said office. Findings: 1. You serve as a State Representative in the General Assembly and, as such, are subject to the Ethics Act. 2. Sometime in September, 1984, Ms. Betty Grindle, Legislative Aide, in your office in Mt. Pleasant, placed two bumper stickers reading "Saloom Legislature" inside of your district office and one on the outside door. a. The stickers did not solicit a vote for your re- election campaign. b. These were the same stickers you used as part of your campaign. c. Ms. Grindle also sent about ten of these stickers to persons who requested them. Mr. Eugene G. Saloom April 18, 1985 Page 2 d. She removed the sticker from the office door after receiving a. phone call from the Mt. Pleasant Chief of Police, who said he had a complaint about the stickers being posted. 3. Shortly after removing the sticker from the door, she was informed that one of the stickers had been placed on the municipal building. a. She removed this sticker and the two stickers inside your office after being notified of the one on the municipal building. 5. There is no evidence that the stickers posted in your district office were ever used to support your campaign. B. Discussion: Section 3(a) of the Ethics Act states: b Section 3. Restricted activities. (a) No public official or public employee shall use his public office or any confidential information received through his holding public office to obtain financial lain other than compensation provided by law for himself, a member of his immediate family, or a business with which he is associated. 65 P.S. 403. C. Conclusion: You did not violate Section 3(a) of the Ethics Act when your staff posted three stickers in your district office because these stickers did not solicit votes and we will take no further action on this matter. Our files in this case will remain confidential in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Ethics Act, 65 P.S. 408(a). However, this Order is final and will be made available as a public document 15 days after service (defined as mailing) unless you file documentation with the Commission which justifies reconsideration and /or challenges pertinent factual findings. See 51 Pa. Code 2.38. During this 15 -day period, no one, including the Respondent unless he waives his right to challenge thisUrd`r, may violate this confidentiality by releasing, discussing or circulating this Order. While the stickers in your district office were the same as you used for your campaign, they did not contain solicitations for votes or any information 4 ` indicating that they were being used for this purpose. These stickers have no more information than any sign you might use to identify your district office or than your correspondence would contain. There is a remote possibility that using the same sticker for campaign purposes would convey that there was a connection between your campaign and the stickers in your office. However, we do not find that in this case. Based on these circumstances, we mind no violation of Section 3(a). Mr. Eugene G. Saloom Page 3 EMS /na By mmi s s erb :. Conner Cha', man April 18, 1985 Any person who violates tic confileritial ity of a CiAmis ion proceeding is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than $1.. 000 or imprisoned for not more than one year or both, see 65 P.O. 409(e).