Pa. lawmakers hand out millions in public contracts to law firms that fill their campaign coffers

HARRISBURG — A host of politically connected law firms are pouring millions of dollars into the campaigns of Pennsylvania legislators, who in turn hire those firms for all types of legal matters on the taxpayer’s dime — and it happens with very little public scrutiny.

Law firms and lawyers who have worked for the Pennsylvania House and Senate have donated at least $5.5 million to 18 campaign committees controlled by Democratic and Republican legislative leaders during the last decade, according to a review of campaign-finance data.

In all, they gave at least $24 million to local and state-level campaigns across Pennsylvania during that time period, in a state that allows unlimited donations with few disclosure rules.

That money — which includes donations from individual lawyers as well as their firms — has gone to candidates for various political offices in all three branches of government. But legislative leaders, who hand-select the firms they pay with tax dollars, are among the top recipients.

Read more: https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2021/10/pa-lawmakers-campaign-finance-law-firms/