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.In. Re: Karen A. Welshons,
Respondent
STATE ETHICS COMIAISSION
FINANCE BUILDING
613 NORTH STREET, ROOM 309
HARRISBUR(3, IDA 17120-0400
File Docket:
Order No.
Date Decided:
Date Mailed:
22-037-P
750-S
1/24/23
1/25/23
Shelley Y. Simms, Chair
Michael A. Schwartz, Vice Chair
Rhonda Hill Wilson
Paul E. Parsells
David L. Reddecliff
FACSIMILE: 7,17-787-0806
WEBSITE: _W_wwet1:1Li x ov
This is a final adjiudication of the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission as, to the alleged
delinquency and/or deficiency of Statement(s) of Financial Interests required to be filed pursuant
to Sections 1104 and 1105 of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ("Ethics Act"), 65
Pa. C. S. § 1101 et sLeq.
The Investigative Division initiated these proceedings by filing with the State Ethics
Commission and serving upon Respondent an Order to Show Cause and a Petition for Civil
Penalties, An Answer was not filed by the Respondent, and a hearing was deemed waived. A
Motion to Deem Facts Admitted and Enter Default was filed. The Motion was granted. The record
is complete. The Findings in this Order are derived from the Order to Show Cause and Petition
for Civil Penalties filed by the Investigative Division.
I. FINDINGS:
Respondent is an adult individual who resides or maintains a mailing address at [address
redacted].
2. Respondent is a School Board Member for the Jeannette City School District and as such,
Respondent has at all times relevant to these proceedings been a "public official/public
employee" as defined in Section 1102 of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1102,
3. Respondent as a public official/public employee is subject to the Statement of Financial
Interests filing provisions of the Ethics Act.
4, Respondent has failed to provide full financial disclosure as required by the Ethics Act.
Respondent filed a deficient Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 2018 and
has failed to file a Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 2019, which
Statements of Financial Interests were to be filed by May 1 of 2019 and May 1, 2020,
welshons, 22-037-P
Page 2
respectively. Respondent has therefore transgressed Sections 1104 and 1105 of the Ethics
Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §§ 1104, 1105.
5. By Notice letter dated November 9, 2021, Respondent was served with Notice in
accordance with Section 1107(5) of the Ethics Act of the specific allegations against
Respondent concerning the above transgression. Said Notice letter provided Respondent
an opportunity to avoid the institution of these civil penalty proceedings by filing accurate
and complete Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2018 and 2019 within
twenty (20) days of the date of the Notice letter. Respondent has failed and refused to file
accurate and complete Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2018 and 2019
so as to comply with the specific requirements of the Ethics Act.
By Notice letter dated June 6, 2022, Respondent was served with Notice in accordance
with Section 1107(5) of the Ethics Act of the specific allegations against Respondent
concerning the above transgressions. Said Notice letter provided Respondent an
opportunity to avoid the institution of these civil penalty proceedings by filing accurate and
complete Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2018 and 2019 within twenty
(20) days of the date of the Notice letter. Respondent has failed and refused to file accurate
and complete Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2018 and 2019 so as to
comply with the specific requirements of the Ethics Act.
7. Section 1109(f) of the Ethics Act provides;
§ 1109. Penalties
(if7 Civil penalty. --In addition to any other civil remedy
or criminal penalty provided for in this chapter, the
commission may, after notice has been sewed in accordance
with section 1107(5) (relating to powers and duties of
commission) and upon a majority vote of its members, levy
a civil penalty upon any person subject to this chapter who
fails to file a statement of financial interests in a timely
manner or who files a deficient statement of financial
interests, at a rate of not more than $25 for each day such
statement remains delinquent or deficient. The maximum
penalty payable under this paragraph is $250.
65 Pa.C.S. § 1109(f).
8. For each violation the Commission finds, Respondent is subject to civil penalty liability
under Section 1109(f) of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S, § 1109(f), at a rate of not more than
$25.00 per day for each day the Statement of Financial Interests remains delinquent or
deficient, for a maximum civil penalty of $250.00 per violation. Because Respondent has
committed two violations alleged herein, Respondent is subject to total maximum civil
penalty liability of $500.00.
Welshons, 22-037-P
Page 3
9. There are no mitigating circumstances and Respondent should be assessed the maximum
civil penalty of $500.00, in that the twenty -day deadline set forth in the said -final Notice
letter to Respondent has expired and the Respondent has not complied.
I1. DISCUSSION:
As a School Board Member for the Jeannette City School District, Karen A. Welshons
("Welshons") was at all times relevant to these proceedings a "public official" subject to the
provisions of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ("Ethics Act"), 65 Pa.C.S. § 1101 et
seq.
Pursuant to Section l 104(a) of the Ethics Act, Welshons was specifically required to file
Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2018 and 2019 with the Jeannette City School
Board on or before May 1, 2019 and May 1, 2020, respectively. Section 1104(a) provides:
§ 1104. Statement of financial interests required to be filed
(a) Public official or public employee. --Each public official of the
Commonwealth shall file a statement of financial interests for the preceding
calendar year with the commission no later than May 1 of each year that he holds
such a position and of the year after he leaves such a position. Each public
employee and public official of the Commonwealth shall file a statement of
financial interests for the preceding calendar year with the department, agency,
body or bureau in which he is employed or to which he is appointed or elected no
later than May 1 of each year that he holds such a position and of the year after he
leaves such a position. Any other public employee or public official shall file a
statement of financial interests with the governing authority of the political
subdivision by which he is employed or within which he is appointed or elected no
later than May 1 of each year that he holds such a position and of the year after he
leaves such a position. Persons who are full-time or part-time solicitors for political
subdivisions are required to file under this section.
65 Pa.C.S. § 1104(a).
The complete financial disclosure which Welshons as a School Board Member for the
Jeannette City School District was required to provide in the Statement of Financial Interests form
is statutorily mandated in detail at Section 1105 of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1105.
Section 1109(f) of the Ethics Act provides as follows:
§ 1109. Penalties
(f) Civil penalty.-- In addition to any other civil remedy or criminal penalty
provided for in this chapter, the commission may, after notice has been served in
accordance with section 1107(5) (relating to powers and duties of commission)
and upon a majority vote of its members, levy a civil penalty upon any person
Welshons, 22-037-P
Page 4
subject to this chapter who fails to file a statement of financial interests in a timely
manner or who files a deficient statement of financial interests, at a rate of not more
than $25 for each day such statement remains delinquent or deficient. The
maximum penalty payable under this paragraph is $250.
65 Pa.C.S. § 1109(f).
An application of Section 1109(f) to this case establishes that this Commission has the
discretion to levy a maximum civil penalty against Welshons for each delinquent Statement of
Financial Interests for calendar years 2018 and 2019.
The prerequisite service of allotice letter in accordance with Section 1107(5) was satisfied.
Welshons did not remedy the failure to comply with the Ethics Act although given more than the
usual grace period following Notice in which to do so. The Investigative Division then instituted
formal proceedings against Welshons by filing with the State Ethics Commission and serving upon
Welshons an Order to Show Cause and Petition for Civil Penalties, ordering Welshons to show
cause why a civil penalty should not be levied against her. Welshons did not file an answer to the
Order to Show Cause. A default judgment was entered against Welshons. There is nothing of
record that would constitute a defense or excuse for Welshons' failure to comply with the Ethics
Act. Welshons has failed to show cause why a civil penalty should not be levied ,against her in
this matter.
We find that Welshons, as a School Board Member for the Jeannette City School District,
failed to comply with Section 1104(a) of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1104(a), when she failed to
file Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2018 and 2019 with the Jeannette City
School Board.
We hereby levy two maximum civil penalties against Welshons at the rate of Twenty -Five
Dollars ($25.00) per day for each day her Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2018
and 2019 has remained delinquent. Given the number of days during which the Statements of
Financial Interests has remained delinquent, the resultant amount to be levied against Welshons is
Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00).
Welshons shall be ordered to make payment of the above civil penalty in the amount of
$500.00 by no later than the thirtieth (30"') day after the mailing date of this adjudication and
Order, by forwarding a check to this Commission made payable to the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, for deposit in the State Treasury.
Welshons shall be ordered to file complete and accurate Statements of Financial Interests
for calendar years 2018 and 2019 with the Jeannette City School Board by no later than the thirtieth
(30"') day after the mailing date of this adjudication and Order, with one copy forwarded to this
Commission for compliance verification purposes.
IIL CONCLUSIONS OF LAW:
Karen A. Welshons ("Welshons"), as a School Board Member for the Jeannette City
Welshons, 22-037-P
Page 5
School District, was at all times relevant to these proceedings a "public official" subject to
the provisions of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ("Ethics Act"), 65 Pa.C.S.
§ 1101 et seq.
2. Welshons, as a School Board Member for the Jeannette City School District, failed to
comply with Section 1104(a) of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1104(a), when she failed to
file complete and accurate Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2018 and
2019 with the Jeannette City School Board.
3. Notice of the delinquency of Welshons' Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years
2018 and 2019 was previously served upon her in accordance with Section 1107(5) of the
Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1107(5).
4. Based upon the totality of the circumstances in this case, the imposition of two maximum
civil penalties in the total amount of $500.00 is warranted.
In Re: Karen A. Welshons, File Docket: 22-037-P
Respondent Date Decided: 1/24/23
Date Mailed: 1/25/23
ORDER NO.750-S
I. Karen A. Welshons ("Welshons"), as a School Board Member for the Jeannette City
School District, failed to comply with Section 1104(a) of the Public Official and Employee
Ethics Act ("Ethics Act"), 65 Pa.C.S. § 1104(a), when she failed to file accurate and
complete Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2018 and 2019.
2. This Commission hereby levies two maximum civil penalties against Welshons, each at
the rate of Twenty -Five Dollars ($25.00) per day for each day her Statements of Financial
Interests for calendar years 2018 and 2019 have remained delinquent, for a total civil
penalty of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). Welshons is ordered to pay said civil penalty
in the total amount of $500.00 by no later than the thirtieth (30"') day after the mailing date
of this Order, by forwarding a check to the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission made
payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for deposit in the State Treasury,
3. Welshons is ordered to file complete and accurate Statements of Financial Interests for
calendar years 2018 and 2019 with the Jeannette City School Board by no later than the
thirtieth (30"') day after the mailing date of this Order, with a copy of each such filing
forwarded to the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission for compliance verification
purposes.
4. Failure to comply with Paragraph 2 or 3 of this Order will result in the initiation of an
appropriate enforcement action.
BY THE COMMISSION,
b
Shelley Y. Sim
Chair