Little Blog Blue

Which do you think is a bigger conflict of interest? From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

A Republican state senator wants Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Ralph Cappy and high court nominee Judge Cynthia A. Baldwin to resign from their leadership positions at the state's two largest universities.

Senate Majority Whip Jeffrey E. Piccola, R-Dauphin, charged yesterday that simultaneous service on the high court and on the boards of trustees of Pitt and Penn State violates at least two provisions of the Code of Judicial Conduct.

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There is nothing unusual about judges serving on boards of educational institutions, hospitals and other nonprofit organizations, said officials at both universities.

"Their services traditionally have contributed to the common good and have been looked at as good for the people of Pennsylvania and, in our case, the people of Pittsburgh," he said.

Steve MacCarthy, vice president of university relations at Penn State, said it was a stretch to call the judges' service a conflict of interest.

Neither judge solicits funds for the schools, something board leaders typically do, Mr. Hill and Mr. McCarthy said.

"There are things [Judge Baldwin] cannot do as a judge that some chairs have historically done, but she brings so much experience and vision to the position that that's a small trade-off," Mr. McCarthy said.

Meanwhile, Pitt trustees elected a second vice chairman when Justice Cappy became president so that he would be relieved of fund-raising duties, Mr. Hill said.

Please don't think that I'm defending Ralph Cappy! But Legislators in Glass Statehouses...

RockTheCapial.org Press Release:

Mr. Piccola¹s Conflict of Interest
Group Asks Senator to Resign from Insurance Boards

(Harrisburg, PA) - RockTheCapital.org called on Senator Jeffery Piccola (R-Dauphin), a 29-year member of the Pennsylvania and House and Senate, to step down from the Boards of Eastern Atlantic Insurance Company and Builders Direct Insurance Company.

Senate rules require Senators to refrain from voting on legislation that would directly benefit themselves or entities to which they are affiliated.

RockTheCapital.org Coordinator, Eric Epstein said, "Mr. Piccola supplements his income by sitting on the Boards of two insurance companies that profit from legislation he sponsors and supports." Epstein added, "Before casting political stones at others, Mr. Piccola needs to look in the mirror and decide if he's going to be an insurance lobbyist or a full-time legislator."

In 2004, both the Philadelphia Daily News and the Scranton Times demanded that Mr. Piccola abstain from voting on insurance "cap" legislation since both companies he sits on would benefit.

In addition, Boswell, Tintner, Piccola & Alford is a Harrisburg law firm specializing in casualty insurance and personal injury law. The firm's clientele is dominated by insurance companies that stand to gain from placing caps and include: Coregis Insurance Company; Donegal Insurance; Erie Insurance Group; Royal Specialty Insurance Co.; State Farm Insurance Co.; Travelers Insurance; and, Westport Insurance Company.