Former Bucks lawmaker worked for House Republicans
HARRISBURG – Former Bucks County Rep. Matt Wright worked for House Republicans for several weeks, receiving $2,776 in pay in mid-January, according to a House GOP spokesman. House Republican Leader Sam Smith then terminated Wright’s work with the caucus because he didn’t know the defeated lawmaker had been hired, according to Spokesman Steve Miskin.
Miskin initially stated Wright had received $6,015 for one month’s worth of work in December, the equivalent of one month’s pay on a 2006 lawmaker salary of $72,187. Miskin since corrected that information, saying he mistakenly assumed that Wright’s name on the House Republican payroll in December meant he was paid for that period.
Details of Wright’s work with House Republicans, which ended with the Jan. 16 paycheck, are still unclear.
Miskin said Wright was hired to help new members set up their offices. But Wright wrote in an e-mail that he was hired as a researcher.
“I was hired as a one-time contractor for a specific project by the House Republicans in mid-December to do research on issues for the upcoming session,” wrote Wright. “The information was to be used in creating possible issue goals for the caucus.”
He said his work took approximately three weeks and he received $2,000, slightly less than the total Miskin provided.
Wright did not respond to further requests for clarification.
Defeated Rep. Sue Cornell was also hired as a legislative aide to Philadelphia Republican Rep. George Kenney, but Smith terminated her employment as well. Miskin said Cornell received $6,455 for employment dating Dec. 1 to Jan. 16.
Alison Hawkes can be reached at 717-705-6330 or ahawkes@calkins-media.com