Burns: House leaders should accept auditor general’s offer to help end harassment payouts
Rep. Frank Burns December 21, 2017 | 12:17 PM
EBENSBURG, Dec. 21 – In the wake of revelations that the House of Representatives has paid more than $500,000 in taxpayer dollars to settle claims, state Rep. Frank Burns said legislative leaders should take state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale up on his offer to help end that practice.
Burns, D-Cambria, said that just like DePasquale, a former Democratic colleague of his in the House, he was unaware of these payments being made and thinks the funding mechanism needs to end.
“Like many of my current colleagues, I was shocked to find out that such payoffs have been made – and disheartened to see that as recently as 2015, a $248,000 payment was authorized to settle an employee’s sexual harassment claim against a legislator,” Burns said. “I think House leaders should accept Auditor General DePasquale’s help, without hesitation, to ensure this never happens again.
“We can only act on what we know – not what we don’t know – and now that the cat is out of the proverbial bag, corrective measures need to be taken.”
Burns said DePasquale has done similar work at the Philadelphia Parking Authority, acquiring expertise in this area that his office can use to assist the legislature in making necessary changes.
“I agree wholeheartedly with Auditor General DePasquale and I’m extremely disappointed to find out that such payments were authorized," Burns said, "The burning question I have – and one that taxpayers deserve to have answered – is, ‘Who approved these payouts?’”