Oct. 26, 2016
HARRISBURG – The House unanimously approved on concurrence legislation to re-establish the Commonwealth’s independent counsel law, Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover) announced.
The bill by Rep. Mike Vereb (R-Montgomery) lays out guidelines for appointing a lawyer to investigate public officials in the event of alleged wrongdoing. The results of the preliminary investigation would determine whether or not a special prosecutor is needed. Pennsylvania’s previous independent counsel law expired in 2003.
Grove issued the following statement on passage of the bill, which now heads to the governor’s desk:
“This legislation creates a mechanism to hold lawmakers, some of whom believe they are above the law, accountable. I want to thank my colleague Rep. Vereb, a former law enforcement official, for his leadership on this issue to respond to the many ethical and legal issues created by our former state attorney general, Kathleen Kane, who paralyzed her office with scandals that saw criminal charges laid against her. While she was eventually found guilty of all charges, this issue has been a priority of mine over the past three years, I even authored similar legislation,
House Bill 146, two years ago that also proposed bringing back an independent counsel.
“By authorizing the independent counsel, the Legislature makes it clear to the people of Pennsylvania we hold the trust they have placed in us as their elected officials with upmost respect and importance. Therefore, in the aftermath of the recent charges against multiple House members and the state’s top prosecutor, it’s about time the General Assembly approved the creation of an independent watchdog to prosecute corruption and restore the people’s faith in their government. I again applaud Representative Vereb and my colleagues on their work to pass this important reform.”
Representative Seth Grove
196th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Greg Gross
717.260.6374
ggross@pahousegop.com
RepGrove.com /
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