PA Legislature Adjourns Early To Avoid Voting On Gift Ban Legislation

We put our state representatives on notice: The Gift Ban will be forced to a vote on September 12th and they will very publicly have to choose which side they are on.

On Monday, June 13, a group of 50 activists with Pennsylvania Action on Climate (PAC) confronted the state legislature to demand they stop fueling the climate crisis with their greed and corruption. Ten activists were arrested and charged with criminal trespass.

On December 14, 2021, Santa took the Reindeer Express to the Pennsylvania State Capitol building in Harrisburg, PA to tell our state legislators something important: When you get a gift from lobbyists who want something in return, that is NOT a gift. THAT IS A BRIBE!!!

On October 7th, after months of silence by Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman and his continued failure to bring the Gift Ban to a vote, more than two dozen MarchOnHarrisburg activists from across the state converged at the Toftrees Golf Resort in State College where Sen. Corman was holding one of his annual fundraisers.

Our banners spanning the Capitol steps on June 9th made sure that our legislators, our audience, anyone passing by, and the media couldn’t miss the shameful truth that despite 33 Gift Ban bills being introduced over the past 20 years, our legislature has made the choice over and over to put money and power over the well-being of Pennsylvanians.

When the Gift Ban is signed into law, it will be the culmination of not only years of advocacy by MarchOnHarrisburg, but also by other anti-corruption advocates who demanded action for decades before us. Here’s a look back on the history of the Gift Ban.

With only a few days left in the legislation session, we ramped up our Gift Ban campaign the last week of September demanding the bill be called to a vote.

Nonviolent civil disobedience makes it happen! Immediately after two nonviolent direct actions, Speaker Turzai co-sponsored HB 1291: Gift Ban for Public Officials. A major victory in the fight to end corruption in Pennsylvania!

Speaker Turzai and Allegany County Chairman Dave both have published editorials questioning the need for an independent redistricting citizen commission and MarchOnHarrisburg's motives for advocating for one. MoH executive director responds.

Today, August 6, is the technical, ‘hard deadline’ to pass the Constitutional Amendment to implement an Independent Redistricting Commission.

On Friday, July 13, MarchOnHarrisburg turned its attention to Speaker Turzai, who refused to directly meet with MarchOnHarrisburg, despite nearly a hundred requests from both MoH and Fair Districts PA. 

On Thursday, July 5, a week after our occupation of Wolf's office, about two dozen activists set up camp outside of Governor Wolf’s home in Mt. Wolf, bearing signs that asked, “WHERE’S WOLF?” as well as life-size ‘Gerrymander,’ and ‘Waldo’ puppets.

On Tuesday, June 26th, MarchOnHarrisburg, along with organizers from Democracy Spring, MILPA (Movement of Immigrant Leaders in PA,) and PA-Poor People's Campaign, stormed Governor Tom Wolf’s office on Tuesday, demanding that he call a special session and force legislators to return to the Capitol to vote on a clean redistricting bill to end gerrymandering in Pennsylvania.