McCall, Moscato already named
The House Gaming Oversight Committee is expected to vote a bill out Tuesday prohibiting state legislators and executive level government employees from being appointed to the state Gaming Control Board (GCB) for a year after they leave office or employment.
The move comes on the heels of GCB appointments last week for recently retired Speaker of the House Keith McCall, a Carbon County Democrat and Tony Moscato, a top aide to state Senate President Pro Tempore Joseph Scarnati (R-Jefferson).
The appointments, which carry $145,000 annual salaries, are for two years each and begin Monday.
“We knew we would not be able to cut off those appointments, but we want to have this measure [H. B. 391] in place going forward,” said state Rep. Curt Schroder (R- Chester), chair of the gaming committee. The measure’s prime sponsor is state Rep. Rob Kauffman (R-Cumberland).
“The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board was established to tightly regulate the gaming industry in the Commonwealth. The [gaming board] is a place for highly qualified regulators. It was not meant to be a place for former legislators to live large in retirement and further pad their state pensions,” said Mr. Kauffman.
Mr. McCall, who was Speaker of the House in the 2009-10 legislative session, retired after 28 years as a lawmaker and is eligible for a $100,000 annual pension for which he has not applied. His time on the GCB will add to his state service and increase his pension.
He was appointed by House Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny).
Mr. Moscato is a top aide to Mr. Scarnati and managed the lieutenant governor’s office for Mr. Scarnati beginning in December 2009. Mr. Scarnati became lieutenant governor following the death of former Lieutenant Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll in 2008.
Mr. Moscato also served four terms as a Cameron County Commissioner. Cameron County is part of Mr. Scarnati’s senate district.
If passed out of committee, the measure must still pass the House and Senate and be signed by Republican Gov. Tom Corbett.
