Fund-raiser activity included in ethics issue
In a report filed by the State Ethics Commission, former state Rep. Larry Roberts was found in violation of the Ethics Act for accepting campaign materials in his Uniontown office and having a Harrisburg employee make arrangements for a fund-raiser in the Capitol. Some of the information from the report includes:
– From 2000 through 2004, vendors used Roberts’ district office space, equipment and employees of his district office as contact/delivery points for election/campaign-related materials.
– Staff from his office at 31A Connellsville St. in Uniontown at times arranged purchases and met vendors.
– An employee at Roberts’ capitol office in Harrisburg on occasion processed and filed campaign finance reports.
Vendors, including Connellsville Printing, W.H. Farewell Company, Upper Room Inc., Mark IV Office Supply Co., Capitol Promotions Inc. of Glenside, Kwik Tickets and Tru-Copy Printing sent materials to his district office.
– The report also found that Myers Catering provided catering services for a non-legislative event held in October 2000, and the contact person was Roberts’ employee Jennifer Roberts, Roberts’ daughter-in-law.
– Carla Codd, a legislative aide in Roberts’ Harrisburg office, made arrangements and served as contact person for two fund-raising events held in Harrisburg. Codd also typed up invitation flyers on her state computer at the office and was asked by Roberts to prepare the flyers.
– Codd also was asked by Roberts to make arrangements for the breakfast fund-raisers and she was asked to file his nominating petitions at the state election bureau in Harrisburg on more than one occasion.
– Roberts also had nomination petitions and campaign finance reports notarized by Kelly Minito, a notary public in Harrisburg employed as a legislative assistant for State. Rep. William Keller, whose office connects Roberts’ Capitol office.
-Roberts filed the campaign finance reports with the Pennsylvania Department of State using the fax machine in his district office.
– The report states Roberts’ district office fax machine was used on nine occasions to send campaign contribution reports to the Bureau of Elections. During the primary of 2004, Roberts and his opponent (current State Rep. Timothy S. Mahoney, D-South Union), challenged signatures on each other’s petitions, and Roberts used district office staff and equipment to send letters to constituents requesting their support during the primary.
– Roberts sent or directed that campaign letters be sent on Feb. 24, 2004, advising his constituents that even though they signed Mahoney’s nomination petition, he was asking for their support in his campaign. The letters had the reference initials at the bottom of the page of LR/dlp, for Larry Roberts and legislative aide Doris L. Perno. Perno typed the letters on her state computer at Roberts’ district office.
– The recommendations of the investigative division include finding that a technical violation occurred regarding the receipt of campaign materials at the district office by staff, and that a violation occurred when Codd reserved rooms on two occasions for fund-raising events. Roberts agreed to a $600 fine to settle the matter as a part of the consent agreement. The consent agreement states a state legislator is prohibited from using legislative office staff or equipment/facilities for private purposes, including campaign purposes.
Roberts, who issued a press release on the matter, did not return calls seeking additional comment.