Pa. Senator's Super Bowl Trip Courtesy of Consol
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
14 February 2011
By Angela Couloumbis, Joseph Tanfani and Andrew Maykuth, Philadelphia
Inquirer, John C. Whitehead/Patriot-News
The state Senate president, a key player in the debate over natural-gas
drilling in Pennsylvania, accepted a free trip from one of the state's
largest energy companies to see the Pittsburgh Steelers play in the
Super Bowl.
Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati, R-Brockway, had his ticket,
plane ride, and hotel bill paid for by Consol Energy Inc., a major coal
producer and one of the companies drilling for natural gas in the
Marcellus Shale, according to Mr. Scarnati's top aide.
Mr. Scarnati and other top Senate Republicans were frequently singled
out by former Gov. Ed Rendell and environmental advocates for blocking
an extraction tax on shale drilling, even in the face of a projected $4
billion state budget deficit. Pennsylvania is the largest gas-producing
state without such a tax.
Senate Republicans, including Mr. Scarnati, have said they would have
supported a tax but couldn't reach a compromise with Mr. Rendell.
Drew Crompton, Mr. Scarnati's legal counsel and chief of staff, said
there was nothing wrong with Mr. Scarnati accepting the free trip,
which is permitted under Pennsylvania ethics rules.
Mr. Scarnati might reimburse Consol for some of the costs, Mr. Crompton
said.
Consol executives and lobbyists have contributed more than $15,000 to
Mr. Scarnati's campaigns since 2006, state records show.
It's not known whether Consol paid for any other legislators to attend
the Feb. 6 game in Arlington, Texas, won by the Green Bay Packers,
31-25. A brief company statement said that Consol "had several guests
join us at the Super Bowl," and that the expenses would be reported on
its next lobbying disclosure report. Consol would not identify the
other guests.
Tickets to the Super Bowl are hard to find and can end up costing fans
thousands of dollars above face value. The NFL doesn't sell any tickets
to the public, instead offering only a portion of them through a random
drawing.
Pennsylvania law allows legislators to accept such tickets and travel
so long as they report everything above a $650 annual threshold.
"There's nothing illegal about it, but it does show the undue influence
industry has over elected officials," said Jan Jarrett, president of
Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future, an environmental advocacy
organization that has pushed for taxes and tighter regulations on
natural-gas drilling.
"It really creates an uneven playing field between those who've got the
resources to buy that kind of influence and those who don't," she said.
Other Pennsylvania legislators, including Sen. Dominic Pileggi,
R-Delaware, went to the game as guests of the Steelers. The team paid
for Mr. Pileggi's ticket, hotel, and flight to Texas, his office said.
Mr. Pileggi paid for his flight home.
Mr. Scarnati did not respond to requests for an interview.
Once Consol itemizes the costs, Mr. Scarnati will decide how much, if
any, of the expenses he will reimburse, Mr. Crompton said. He said Mr.
Scarnati might use campaign funds.
Mr. Crompton, asked whether it was appropriate for Mr. Scarnati to
accept the free trip from a company with such strong interests in
Harrisburg, said:
"The question is whether or not there will be complete compliance with
the laws that we have. And what our laws say is, if you take something
in excess of $650 in the course of a year, it needs to be reported.
"People take hospitality, people take gifts in this state, and in other
states. It's not whether or not it should occur. It's whether you are
complying with the lobbying law that we have. And we are."
Mr. Crompton bristled when asked whether the trip would affect Mr.
Scarnati's decisions on natural-gas policy.
"That's outrageous," he said. "Sen. Scarnati has taken positions that
are adverse to shale companies, and nothing in his mind has changed. He
does not toe the line of these companies. His independence speaks for
itself."
Consol Energy, based in Canonsburg, expanded its Marcellus presence
last year with the $3.5 billion acquisition of the natural-gas
operations of Dominion Resources Inc., including 1.46 million acres of
gas leases and 9,000 operating wells.
All told, Mr. Scarnati accepted more than $117,000 in campaign
contributions from companies involved in the oil and gas industry, more
than any other Pennsylvania legislator, according to a report last year
from Common Cause, a government watchdog group.
Among Pennsylvania's politicians, Mr. Scarnati was second only to Gov.
Tom Corbett, who received $875,720. The governor has said he does not
support taxing the industry, but he left the door open for a fee on
drillers. He has not elaborated.
Mr. Corbett went to the game on a chartered jet with the Rooney family,
founders of the Steelers. Mr. Corbett's aides said he had paid his way
for everything, including the tickets he got from the Steelers.
Barry Kauffman, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, said
legislators in some other states aren't allowed to accept free travel
or gifts. His organization has been pushing for such rules in
Pennsylvania.
"Under no circumstances should he be allowing someone to pay for his
trip if they're lobbying the Legislature," Mr. Kauffman said. "It just
doesn't look good."
Two other large natural gas companies -- Range Resources and Chesapeake
Energy -- said they hadn't provided Super Bowl trips to any state
official.
Some legislators' tabs were paid by the Steelers. Sen. John Pippy,
R-Moon, said that the team had picked up his airfare, hotel, and
tickets, but that he would reimburse it out of his own bank account.
"I'm assuming it's going to be a couple thousand dollars," Mr. Pippy
said.
House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, D-Oakmont, also paid for his
airfare and accommodations out of his own pocket, spokesman Bill Patton
said. Mr. Dermody also paid for his Super Bowl ticket, although, like
other officials, he got it at face value from the Steelers.
"I believe that was $900," Mr. Patton said.
House Speaker Sam Smith, R-Punxsutawney, did not go to Texas, aides
said. But his chief of staff, Tony Aliano, did. Mr. Aliano, a Steelers
season-ticket holder, said he had paid his own way down and had gotten
tickets at face value from the team.
Sen. Jake Corman, R-Centre, who also went to the game, could not be
reached for comment. It was not known how he had paid for his travel.
Mr. Corman, who chairs the Appropriations Committee, disclosed on his
statement of financial interest for 2009 -- the year the Steelers beat
the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl -- that he had received $5,469
worth of gifts from the team, including Super Bowl tickets.
Rep. Bill DeWeese, D-Waynesburg, said he had gone to this year's Super
Bowl with his girlfriend and was paying for the trip through a
combination of his own money and campaign funds.
"I got nothing for free," Mr. DeWeese said. "Nothing."
First published on February 14, 2011 at 12:00 am