May 23, 2007 4 min read

Former state Rep. Larry Roberts (D-South Union) always liked to point his finger at someone else for alleged wrongdoing. He pointed it at the Fayette County commissioners in the late 1990s over a flawed property tax assessment system they inherited. He pointed it at chief assessor James A. Hercik, helping launch a state effort to strip Hercik of the license needed to perform his job. (Hercik won, but only after amassing $40,000 in legal bills.) Just weeks ago, Roberts pointed his finger at Sean P. Lally, who was challenging Roberts’ son (Mark Roberts) for the job of Fayette County controller. Roberts filed, then quickly withdrew, a challenge to Lally’s voter registration.

But while he was busy pointing out perceived wrongdoing by others, Roberts wasn’t keeping his own house clean. That’s why the State Ethics Commission basically fined him $600 for receiving campaign materials at his Uniontown office, and for letting a legislative worker in his Harrisburg office arrange two fund-raising dinners.

Those uses of his state offices, employee and equipment benefited Roberts but violated the ethics act. Predictably, Roberts tried to spin this one, sending us a press release in which he said, “At least now I am vindicated,” and, “Having a few campaign-related items inadvertently delivered to my office, and having one of my employees call to set a date for two fundraisers is not something I am ashamed of. Nor do I think I could have prevented it.”

Really, Larry? A closer look into the Ethics Commission’s official findings doesn’t vindicate you, and in fact gives you plenty of reason to feel shame. The commission found these actions while investigating the eight vendors Roberts paid 22 times for campaign-related printing, signs, supplies and computer work from August 2002 through 2004:

– “Proofs of artwork for Roberts’ campaign material were faxed to Roberts’ district office fax number.”

– “Some of Roberts’ campaign work with (one company) was arranged by Doris Perno, an employee in Roberts’ Uniontown district office, by way of telephone.”

– “The invoices sent to Roberts were addressed to (his) 31A Connellsville Street office.

– “The order sheet listed Roberts’ legislative aide Tony Perno as the point of contact at a telephone number of 724-439-2329, Roberts’ district office.”

– “The contact person was listed as Jennifer. Roberts’ daughter-in-law, Jennifer Roberts, was the only legislative aide employed by Roberts with the name of Jennifer … The telephone number listed was 724-439-2329, Roberts’ district office number.”

The Ethics Commission’s findings also said this about Carla Codd, the 13-year legislative aide in Roberts’ Harrisburg office who served as contact person for the two fundraisers, held in 2001 and 2004:

– “Codd prepared flyers for the breakfast fundraisers held for Roberts on her state computer at the office.”

– “Codd was asked by Roberts to make arrangements for the breakfast fundraisers through telephone conversations with Roberts when he called the office.”

– “Codd contacted the managers (of the establishments) for the breakfast fundraisers held for Roberts on her state office telephone.”

There’s more in the findings that inexplicably didn’t even make it into the Ethics Commission’s realm of punishment:

– “From 2000 through 2004, Roberts’ district office fax machine was used, on nine occasions, to transmit campaign contribution reports of 24 pages with the Bureau of Elections.”

– “Roberts used district office staff and equipment to send letters to constituents requesting their support during the 2004 primary.”

– “Campaign letters were sent out by Larry Roberts, or at his direction, on Feb. 27, 2004, advising his constituents that even though they had signed (challenger Tim) Mahoney’s nominating petition, Roberts was asking for their support in his campaign … The letters were typed by (state employee Doris) Perno on her state computer at Roberts’ district office.”

Despite all this, Roberts is lucky. Former state Rep. Jeff Habay used legislative employees for campaign work. Convicted, he got six months to one year in a halfway house.