Friday, July 10, 2009
BY PETE SHELLEM pshellem@patriot-news.com
The state attorney general's office has appealed a federal judge's order that barred the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission from enforcing a ban on publicizing filings against state officials.
The office, which represents the commission, filed notice Thursday that it was appealing to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals the order by U.S. District Judge Christopher C. Conner that granted an injunction to activist Gene Stilp.
Conner ruled last week that the ban ran counter to the right to free speech.
In 2007, Stilp, of Middle Paxton Twp., announced he filed an ethics complaint against former House Majority Leader H. William DeWeese.
Within a day, the commission ruled there was not enough evidence in Stilp's complaint to warrant an investigation, then charged Stilp with violating the act by publicizing the filing. On Oct. 16, Stilp entered into an agreement with the commission in which he admitted violating the act and agreed to pay a $500 fine. He then filed the suit that prompted Conner's ruling.
http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1247199039203320.xml&coll=1
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