Pa. officials report more than $160K in gifts, travel in ’14

Newly filed state ethics reports show Pennsylvania state lawmakers and other high-ranking officials collected more than $160,000 in gifts and travel last year, including sports and concert tickets and trips abroad.

About half the total, however, involves donations for constituent events such as senior fairs and unwanted prescription drug collections.

The statements of financial interest for state lawmakers, Supreme Court justices and executive branch officials show they took free or subsidized travel to Las Vegas, Rome, Chicago, Taiwan and Puerto Rico.

Pennsylvania doesn’t place a limit on how much in gifts public officials can accept, but it requires them to report gifts worth more than $250, or if meals, hospitality or travel from a single source amounts to at least $650 in a given year.