HomeMy WebLinkAbout248-S Harrison, Jr.IN RE: Robert Harrison, Jr.
Respondent
File Docket:
X -ref:
Date Decided:
Date Mailed:
Before: Louis W. Fryman, Chair
John J. Bolger, Vice Chair
Donald M. McCurdy
Paul M. Henry
Raquel K. Bergen
Nicholas A. Colafella
Reverend Scott Pilarz
06 -015 -P
Order: 248 -S
5/31/06
6/12/06
This is a final adjudication of the 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 seq.
The Investigative Division initiated these proceedings by filing with the State Ethics
Commission and serving upon Respondent a Petition for Civil Penalties. An Order to
Show Cause was issued to Respondent. An Answer was not filed by the Respondent, and
a hearing was waived. The parties filed a Stipulation of Findings, which is quoted as the
Findings in this Order. A Consent Agreement was also submitted by the parties to the
Commission for consideration which was subsequently approved.
This is a final Order, and it is publicly available upon issuance. Reconsideration
may be requested, but a request for reconsideration will not affect the finality of this
adjudication or its availability as a public document. Any reconsideration request must be
received at this Commission within thirty days of the mailing date noted above and must
include a detailed explanation of the reasons as to why reconsideration should be granted
in conformity with 51 Pa. Code §21.29(b).
Harrison, 06 -015 -P
Page 2
I. FINDINGS:
1 Respondent is an adult individual who resides or maintains a mailing address at
260 March Creek Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325.
2. At all times relevant to these proceedings, Respondent has been a Constable and
as such Respondent has at all times relevant to these proceedings been a "public
official" as that term is defined in Section 1102 of the Ethics Law. 65 Pa.C.S. 1102.
3. Respondent, as a public official, is subject to the Statement of Financial Interests
filing provisions of the Ethics Law.
4. Respondent has failed to provide full financial disclosure as required by the Ethics
Law. Respondent has failed to file Statements of Financial Interests for calendar
year(s) 2003 with the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission, which Statements of
Financial Interests were to be filed by May 1 of 2004, and Respondent has therefore
transgressed Sections 1104 and 1105 of the Ethics Law, 65 Pa.C.S. § §1104 and
1105.
5. By Notice Letter dated September 3, 2004, Respondent was served with Notice in
accordance with Section 1107(5) of the Ethics Law 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 year(s) 2003 within twenty (20) days of the date of the Notice Letter.
Respondent has failed and refused to file Statements of Financial Interests for
calendar year(s) 2003 so as to comply with the specific requirements of the Ethics
Law.
6. By Notice Letter dated October 15, 2004, Respondent was served with Notice in
accordance with Section 1107(5) of the Ethics Law of the specific allegations
against Respondent concerning the above transgression. Said Notice Letter
provided Respondent an opportunity to avoid the institution of civil penalty
proceedings by filing accurate and complete Statements of Financial Interests for
calendar year(s) 2003 so as to comply with the specific requirements of the Ethics
Law.
II. DISCUSSION:
As a Constable, Robert Harrison, Jr. ( "Harrison ") 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 1104(a) of the Ethics Act, Harrison was specifically required to
file a Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 2003 on or before May 1, 2004.
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
Harrison, 06 -015 -P
Page 3
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 Harrison as a Constable 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 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 the Respondent for each delinquent
or deficient Statement of Financial Interests.
The prerequisite service of a Notice letter in accordance with Section 1107(5) was
satisfied. Harrison 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 Harrison by
filing with the State Ethics Commission and serving upon him a Petition for Civil Penalties.
The State Ethics Commission issued an Order to Show Cause, ordering Harrison to show
cause why a civil penalty should not be levied against him.
The parties propose that this case be resolved by, inter alia,: (1) this Commission
finding that Harrison failed to timely file his Statement of Financial Interests for the 2003
calendar year in compliance with Section 1104(a) of the Public Official and Employee
Ethics Law; and (2) Harrison agreeing to make payment of a civil penalty in the amount of
$100.00 in settlement of this matter, payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and
forwarded to the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission upon signature of the Consent
Agreement.
We believe that the Consent Agreement is the proper disposition for this case,
based upon our review of the totality of the facts and circumstances. Accordingly, we
approve the Consent Agreement that has been submitted by the parties.
Harrison, 06 -015 -P
Page 4
We take administrative notice that Harrison has made payment of a civil penalty in
the amount of $100.00 on or about April 4, 2006 as per the Consent Agreement of the
parties, and has filed a Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 2003 with the
State Ethics Commission on April 7, 2006.
We hereby find that Harrison, as a Constable, failed to comply with Section 1104 of
the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §1104, when he failed to file a Statement of Financial Interests
for calendar year 2003 as a Constable. In that Harrison has made payment of a civil
penalty in the amount of $100.00 in accordance with the Consent Agreement of the
parties, and has filed his Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 2003, this case
is closed.
III. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW:
1. As a Constable, Robert Harrison, Jr. ( "Harrison ") was at all times relevant to these
proceedings a "public official" subject to the provisions of the Ethics Act, 65
Pa.C.S. §1101 et seq.
2. Harrison, as a Constable, failed to comply with Section 1104 of the Ethics Act, 65
Pa.C.S. §1104, when he failed to file a Statement of Financial Interests for calendar
year 2003 as a Constable.
3. Notice of the delinquency of Harrison's Statement of Financial Interests for calendar
year 2003 was previously served upon him 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, a civil penalty in the
amount of $100 is warranted.
IN RE: Robert Harrison, Jr.
Respondent
File Docket:
Date Decided:
Date Mailed:
ORDER NO. 248 -S
BY THE COMMISSION,
Louis W. Fryman, Chair
06 -015 -P
5/31/06
6/12/06
1 Robert Harrison, Jr. ( "Harrison "), as a Constable, failed to comply with Section 1104
of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §1104, when he failed to file a Statement of Financial
Interests for calendar year 2003.
2. In that Harrison has paid a civil penalty in the amount of $100.00 through this
Commission to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as per the Consent Agreement
of the parties, and has filed a Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year
2003, no further action is required in this case and this case is closed.