Democrats Conspire to Shield PGC’s Abuse of Women Employees from Oversight, Maloney Says
HARRISBURG – During Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget address today, he shouted “start listening to victims! Listen to the victims,” Rep. David Maloney (R-Berks) said. “
Apparently for Shapiro and House Democrats “listening to the victims” are only words, not deeds.”
Oddly, just a few hours earlier, House Democrats on the Game and Fisheries Committee voted to prevent from inquiring on the
repeated reports of abuse of women at work at the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC).
Today, when Republican chair Maloney
made a motion to allow questions regarding these very troubling reports of abuse of female employees and even game wardens, Democrat members voted unanimously to block inquiry.
The Democrat chair defied all the usual rules and norms of previous annual report hearings by preventing members from asking questions and hastily adjourning the meeting after less than 15 minutes of testimony from PGC Executive Director Steve Smith. Annual Report hearings conducted by the Committee in past years have generally run well over an hour and have included ample time for elected representatives to ask questions of the Executive Director.
This PGC Annual Report meeting was also held 6 weeks earlier than usual.
“Typically, these PGC presentations are held about six weeks later in the year, such as on March 18, 2025, and March 20, 2024,” Maloney said. “I suspect there was some thinking that a news article detailing abuse of female employees could be overshadowed by disallowing questions and letting news of the state budget address whitewash the rest of the PGC’s illicit activity.”
“So, with Shapiro,
there is also a history of abuse and not listening to the victim,” Maloney said. “When you have female employees being abused and the Democrats not only show no concern but try to cover it up. “I would hope the Senate will want to address this systematic abuse when Smith, who is well aware of this abuse, brings his show over to that side of the Capitol.”
Representative David Maloney
130th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Charles Lardner
717.260.6161
clardner@pahousegop.com
RepMaloney.com