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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Bryan Lentz
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Lentz bill would prohibit state payment of legal fees in corruption probes
HARRISBURG, Dec. 17 – State
Rep. Bryan R. Lentz, D-Delaware, is introducing legislation that would prohibit
the use of state funds for attorney fees or litigation expenses incurred by the
defense of individual members of the General Assembly in criminal probes.
"I believe that the practice of caucuses paying legal bills for individuals under criminal investigation should stop," Lentz said. "Public tax dollars should be spent for the benefit of the Commonwealth. Members should be responsible for paying their own legal fees in these situations, just as a regular citizen would."
Currently, it is policy for elected members
under criminal investigation to have their attorney fees paid for by the
leadership accounts of their respective caucus.
Lentz's legislation would amend the Public Official Compensation Law to ban the
use of state funds for any attorney fees or litigation expenses incurred by or
on behalf of a member of the General Assembly in a criminal investigation
initiated against the member.
Since the beginning of the Bonusgate probe, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has reported that approximately $2.5 million has been spent so far for the legal defense of both Republicans and Democrats questioned by the attorney general.
Lentz said that more money was spent on legal fees than the actual bonuses that were illegally handed out.
"That amount of taxpayer dollars in the midst of an economic crisis is absolutely unacceptable," Lentz added. "We were forced to cut funding in the state budget for many programs that help Pennsylvanians, and yet we're paying legal fees for politicians under investigation?"
Lentz is a former prosecutor in the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office.