For Immediate Release August 1, 2022
Contact For More Information:
Mary W. Fox
Executive Director
(717) 783-1610
The Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission has issued a final adjudication in the following matters under
The Ethics Act
HARRISBURG, PA –
Order No. 1803 (Scott)
Supervisor
Mahoning Township
Montour County, PA
ORDER SUMMARY:
1. James "TS" Scott ("Scott"), as a Supervisor for Mahoning Township ("Township"), Montour County, Pennsylvania, violated Section 1103(a) of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ("Ethics Act"), 65 Pa.C.S. § 1103(a), in relation to his participation in discussions and actions of the Township Board of Supervisors to invest Township funds with Service 1st Federal Credit Union – a business that employed his wife – because although there is a lack of evidence that his wife received a private pecuniary benefit, Service 1st Federal Credit Union received a private pecuniary benefit.
2. Violations of Section 1105(b)(5) and (8) of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1105(b)(5) and (8), occurred when Scott failed to disclose the Township as a reportable source of income on Statements of Financial Interests he filed for calendar years 2017 and 2018 and when he failed to disclose his office, directorship, or employment with Liberty Mutual Insurance Company on Statements of Financial Interests he filed for calendar years 2016, 2017, and 2018.
3. Per the Consent Agreement of the parties, Scott is directed to make payment in the amount of $750.00 payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and forwarded to this Commission by no later than the thirtieth (30th) day after the mailing date of this Order.
4. Scott is directed to not accept any reimbursement, compensation or other payment from the Township representing a full or partial reimbursement of the amount paid in settlement of this matter.
5. Scott is ordered to fulfill his agreement that he will resign from his position as a Township Supervisor by no later than the thirtieth (30th) day after the mailing date of this Order and that he will neither seek nor hold public office such as to be defined as a "public official" in the Ethics Act for a period of five years following said resignation.
6. Compliance with paragraphs 3, 4, and 5 of this Order will result in the closing of this case with no further action by this Commission.
- Non-compliance will result in the institution of an order enforcement action.
Order No. 1804 (Jolly)
Director of Retail Operations
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
Dauphin County, PA
ORDER SUMMARY:
1. No violation of Section 1103(a) of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1103(a), occurred when Carl Jolly ("Jolly"), as the Director of Retail Operations for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, used the authority of his public position to obtain information not available to the general public, and used that information to purchase alcohol that was limited in quantity and unavailable for purchase by the general public, due to insufficient clear and convincing evidence of a pecuniary benefit.
2. Jolly is ordered to fulfill his agreement to not purchase any items offered by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board outside of the process by which a Commonwealth resident may purchase such items.
3. Compliance with paragraph 2 of this Order will result in the closing of this case with no further action by this Commission.
a. Non-compliance will result in the institution of an order enforcement action.
Order No. 1805 (Negra)
Member
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
Dauphin County, PA
ORDER SUMMARY:
1. No violation of Section 1103(a) of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ("Ethics Act"), 65 Pa.C.S. § 1103(a), occurred when Michael Negra ("Negra"), as a Member of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, obtained information not obtainable from reviewing a public document or making inquiry to a publicly available source of information as a result of his public position, and used that information to purchase alcohol that was limited in quantity and not available to the public, due to insufficient clear and convincing evidence of a pecuniary benefit.
2. Violations of Section 1105(b)(5) of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1105(b)(5), occurred when Negra failed to disclose all reportable income on Statements of Financial Interests for calendar years 2018, 2019, and 2020.
3. Per the Consent Agreement of the parties, Negra is directed to make a payment in the amount of $500.00 payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and forwarded to this Commission by no later than the thirtieth (30th) day after the mailing date of this Order.
4. Negra is directed to not accept any reimbursement, compensation or other payment from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board representing a full or partial reimbursement of the amount paid in settlement of this matter.
5. Negra is ordered to fulfill his agreement to not purchase any items offered by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board outside of the process by which a Commonwealth resident may purchase such items.
6. Compliance with paragraphs 3, 4, and 5 of this Order will result in the closing of this case with no further action by this Commission.
a. Non-compliance will result in the institution of an order enforcement action.
Order No. 1806 (Bowman)
Director of Product Selection
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
Dauphin County, PA
ORDER SUMMARY:
1. No violation of Section 1103(a) of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ("Ethics Act"), 65 Pa.C.S. § 1103(a), occurred when Tom Bowman ("Bowman"), as the Director of Product Selection for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, used the authority of his public position to obtain information not available to the general public, and used that information to purchase alcohol that was limited in quantity and unavailable for purchase by the general public, due to insufficient clear and convincing evidence of a pecuniary benefit.
2. Bowman failed to comply with Section 1105(b)(7) of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1105(b)(7), when he disclosed all reportable travel, lodging and hospitality on his 2019 Governor's Code of Conduct filing but failed to include it on his calendar year 2019 Statement of Financial Interests.
3. Per the Consent Agreement of the parties, Bowman is directed to make a payment in the amount of $250.00 payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and forwarded to this Commission by no later than the thirtieth (30th) day after the mailing date of this Order.
4. Bowman is directed to not accept any reimbursement, compensation or other payment from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board representing a full or partial reimbursement of the amount paid in settlement of this matter.
5. Bowman is ordered to fulfill his agreement to not purchase any items offered by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board outside of the process by which a Commonwealth resident may purchase such items.
6. Compliance with paragraphs 3, 4, and 5 of this Order will result in the closing of this case with no further action by this Commission.
- Non-compliance will result in the institution of an order enforcement action.
Order No. 1807 (Kelleher)
Director of Business Development for Wholesale Operations
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
Dauphin County, PA
ORDER SUMMARY:
1. No violation of Section 1103(a) of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1103(a), occurred when Bryan Kelleher ("Kelleher"), as the Director of Business Development and Wholesale Operations for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, used the authority of his public position to obtain information not available to the general public, and used that information to purchase alcohol that was limited in quantity and unavailable for purchase by the general public, due to insufficient clear and convincing evidence of a pecuniary benefit.
2. Kelleher is ordered to fulfill his agreement to not purchase any items offered by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board outside of the process by which a Commonwealth resident may purchase such items.
3. Compliance with paragraph 2 of this Order will result in the closing of this case with no further action by this Commission.
a. Non-compliance will result in the institution of an order enforcement action.
Order No. 1808 (McFarland)
Director of Supply Chain
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
Dauphin County, PA
ORDER SUMMARY:
1. No violation of Section 1103(a) of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. § 1103(a), occurred when Cliff McFarland ("McFarland"), as the Director of Supply Chain for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, used the authority of his public position to obtain information not available to the general public, and used that information to purchase alcohol that was limited in quantity and unavailable for purchase by the general public, due to insufficient clear and convincing evidence of a pecuniary benefit.
2. McFarland is ordered to fulfill his agreement to not purchase any items offered by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board outside of the process by which a Commonwealth resident may purchase such items.
3. Compliance with paragraph 2 of this Order will result in the closing of this case with no further action by this Commission.
a. Non-compliance will result in the institution of an order enforcement action.
You may access the full text version of the above rulings by clicking on the link below or by copying and pasting them into your browser:
1803 Scott:
1803 Scott (pa.gov)
1804 Jolly:
1804 Jolly (pa.gov)
1805 Negra:
1805 Negra (pa.gov)
1806 Bowman:
1806 Bowman (pa.gov)
1807 Kelleher:
1807 Kelleher (pa.gov)
1808 McFarland:
1808 McFarland (pa.gov)