The Pennsylvania Judicial Center in Harrisburg is the home of the federal courthouse. (Kent M. Wilhelm/Spotlight PA)
This article first appeared in The Investigator, Spotlight PA's weekly newsletter featuring the best investigative and accountability journalism from across Pennsylvania. Sign up for free here.
HARRISBURG — Every year, thousands of state government officials submit reports by May 1 that reveal their sources of income, creditors and business interests, as well as gifts, entertainment and other benefits they receive. must be filled out.
These reports, called statements of financial interest, will be publicly searchable and available online. This form is an important way for the public to better understand the financial connections of their elected officials and to learn which outside groups seek to influence public policy decisions.
However, Pennsylvania judges review cases according to somewhat different rules.
They also have to file annual disclosures, but that information isn't posted online. The public should request a copy so long as they know where to obtain that information.
Some good government advocates say this poses an unnecessary inconvenience for those seeking quick access to basic information about Pennsylvania's judiciary, an important branch of government with significant power over civil and criminal matters. claims.
“Judges are public servants, and there are many special interests that try to influence the courts,” said March, a group that promotes government transparency and bans on gifts to elected officials. said Michael Pollack, executive director of Harrisburg.
“When you erect barriers, you deny access,” he says.
Stacey Witalek, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Office of Court Administration, did not respond to questions about why courts do not post financial interest reports for judges online. “Although not posted on our website, the court makes financial interest statements available upon request,” she said in her email.
She did not elaborate.
Financial interest statements are essentially a tool to increase public confidence in government. However, the idea is that information disclosure can also act as a deterrent, making public officials less likely to engage in conflicts of interest. The importance of a robust reporting system was further amplified following a media investigation last year that revealed multiple U.S. Supreme Court justices had not disclosed certain gifts or travel.
In Pennsylvania, elected officials, including the governor, state legislators, and congressmen, annually submit reports on economic interests to the state Ethics Commission (local government officials may submit the documents to their local jurisdiction). The commission publishes these reports on its website, and according to commission officials, the commission posted 11,693 similar reports last year.
In contrast, judges submit annual disclosures to the AOPC, the administrative arm of the state supreme court. They fill out the judiciary's own forms. Even though they are required to disclose many of the same details as non-judges, such as outside income, real estate and business interests, and reimbursement of outside expenses (such as travel and transportation expenses). figure, ).
If you would like a copy of the judge's annual disclosure, you should request it from the AOPC.
A recent report compared state supreme court justices across the country's access to financial interest statements and gave Pennsylvania an average rating. Among other things, the report found that 24 of the 48 states that require annual judicial disclosure do not post judges' reports online.
“It's 2024. There are no valid excuses,” Gabe Ross, executive director of Fix the Court, said in a news release announcing the study. Mr. Ross' nonprofit organization is pushing for accountability in federal court.
Terry Mutchler, a Philadelphia lawyer and former director of Pennsylvania's Office of Public Records, said he would be worse off if judges were not required to disclose anything at all.
Still, she said, “Anytime you can easily create something and post it online, it's more transparent. That's the difference between a B-plus and an A.”
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