HARRISBURG, PA — House State Government Committee Majority Chairman Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) sent a letter to Gov. Tom Wolf today, calling for the administration to release the Office of Inspector General’s conduct report on Lieutenant Governor Mike Stack. Below is a copy of the letter:
Dear Governor Wolf:
As you have publicly made governmental transparency a priority for your administration, it was discouraging to learn that you would not be releasing the Office of Inspector General’s report regarding the lieutenant governor’s inappropriate conduct.
When reports of the lieutenant governor’s abusive behavior toward his staff and police detail, and his misuse of the detail by encouraging them to activate their flashing lights and sirens in non-emergency situations were first released, your initial response was appropriate. Your decision to remove the lieutenant governor’s protective detail and a number of the staff assigned to his residence was justifiable. In addition, your directing the inspector general to conduct an investigation into his behavior created a public expectation that they would be given answers.
Your recent decision to not release this important report into inappropriate behavior by an elected official is inexplicable and unacceptable. You have chosen to release reports conducted by the inspector general in the past, such as the report regarding the investigation into the State Police Academy cadets.
As the lieutenant governor is a public figure, this information is relevant to the taxpayers, voters and citizens of the Commonwealth. Taxpayers pay the many expenses and salaries of the lieutenant governor and his staff. In addition, taxpayer resources paid for the inspector general’s investigation and report.
Your administration has claimed that ‘transparent government that works’ is a priority, but this decision makes it appear that your priorities may be more appropriately labeled ‘secretive government that works for me.’ It should be routine practice to release inspector general reports, instead of selecting which reports you find convenient to allow the public to access.
I request that you reconsider your decision and immediately release the inspector general’s report, as the citizens of this Commonwealth have a right to the information that it will provide.
Sincerely,
Daryl D. Metcalfe
Chairman
House State Government Committee
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Cc: The Honorable Bruce Beemer
Pennsylvania Office of lnspector General
SOURCE: Representative Daryl Metcalfe
