Where Did the Money Go?

Shapiro Website Debacle Clouds PGC’s Neutral Status
HARRISBURG – Rep. David Maloney (R-Berks) today announced his oversight investigation into where the money from the sale of Hunter Heritage license plates has only led to more disturbing questions about the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s (PGC) status as a supposed “independent commission.”

During the PGC’s Annual Report before the House Game and Fisheries meeting, Maloney, the Republican chairman, questioned PGC executive director Steve Smith on where the money from the Hunter Heritage license plates went.

Act 109 of 2014 is clear that the PGC must submit an estimate of Hunting Heritage Plate fund expenditures for approval by the Governor. However, there is no evidence that the PGC has done this.

“When I did a Right-to-Know request, the PGC responded it did not have any records of communicating with the governor about the use of these funds as the law requires,” Maloney said. “When I did Right-to-Know to Gov. Shapiro, I was told “the Office of the Governor does not possess, maintain or control the records that you have requested…the Office of the Budget may possess responsive records.” Additionally, Shapiro said the PGC is an “independent” agency.

But, despite these claims and denials, the governor not long ago signed an executive order which took away the PGC’s website and moved it to the governor-controlled pa.gov. The same was done with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s website.

Not only is the PGC ignoring the law, as seems to be the pattern emerging, but this really brings into question the PGC’s supposed “independent” status. Given how the Senate and Shapiro continue to raid the money and lands of Pennsylvania sportsmen and give untenable answers as to why they believe they are entitled to that money, we may never know.

“More troubling, in the response from Shapiro, he suggested that maybe the Office of the Budget may possess responsive records,” Maloney said. “But when I then followed up with the Office of the Budget with the same request, I was told plate fund expenditures do not require advice or approval from the Office of the Budget.”

“But why should we be surprised? Pennsylvania has a government and governor that ignores the law and/or makes it up as they go along. If the people don’t speak up, this rogue behavior will become enshrined as legal precedent with nary a peep from our state Supreme Court.”

This exchange is from the PGC’s annual report to the House Game and Fisheries Committee as Maloney questions PGC executive director Steve Smith.

Representative David Maloney
130th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Charles Lardner
717.260.6161
clardner@pahousegop.com
RepMaloney.com