Brad Bumsted

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Stories by Brad Bumsted

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, whose transparency promises have fallen short, speaks at a school in Philadelphia, PA.

Pa.’s governor spends thousands on private law firms but won’t disclose why

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted of The Caucus

Dec. 6, 2022

Reports that show all 50 senators’ spending for the month of July were posted to the Senate’s website Wednesday morning, alongside spending information for the chief clerk and secretary.

For the first time, Pa. Senate gives public online access to spending records

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Mike Wereschagin, Brad Bumsted, and Sam Janesch of The Caucus

Sept. 1, 2021

The state Senate and House together spend on average $50 million per year, not including generous salaries and benefits.

Pennsylvania Senate plans first step to enhance public access to expense information

by Brad Bumsted and Sam Janesch of The Caucus

Aug. 11, 2021

Former state Rep. Margo Davidson was charged in July with stealing from taxpayers and misusing campaign funds, helping her pad a legislative salary that’s already among the most generous in the country.

Theft charges brought down a state lawmaker. But Pa.’s taxpayer-funded system for perks was already ripe for abuse.

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Sam Janesch, Mike Wereschagin, and Brad Bumsted of The Caucus

Aug. 6, 2021

“I can’t believe that,” Rep. Chris Sainato said in a recent interview when told of his expenses. “I don’t know where you are getting $1.8 million.”

How one Pennsylvania lawmaker billed taxpayers $1.8 million in expenses

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted, Sam Janesch, and Mike Wereschagin of The Caucus

June 22, 2021

About $20 million went into lawmakers’ pockets over four years in the form of reimbursements for meals, mileage subsidies, per diems, and other expenses.

Bill would force Pa. to post online how lawmakers spend millions in tax dollars each year

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted, Sam Janesch, and Mike Wereschagin of The Caucus

June 3, 2021

The Caucus and Spotlight PA began filing Right-to-Know Law requests in November 2019 in an attempt to answer a simple question: How does one of the largest and most expensive full-time legislatures in the country spend the taxpayer money it allots itself?

Inside the year-long fight to figure out how the Pa. legislature spends taxpayer money on itself

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Mike Wereschagin, Brad Bumsted, and Sam Janesch Of The Caucus

May 12, 2021

About $20 million went into Pennsylvania lawmakers’ pockets over four years in the form of reimbursements for meals, mileage subsidies, per diems, and other expenses.

Taxpayers foot huge bill to run Pa.’s full-time legislature, but are blocked from many details

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Mike Wereschagin, Brad Bumsted, and Sam Janesch of The Caucus

May 12, 2021

In the coming weeks, House Speaker Bryan Cutler and Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (pictured) plan to unveil a lobbying reform package.

One ritzy fundraiser shows how tough selling lobbying reform in Pa. will be

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted and Sam Janesch of The Caucus

May 4, 2021

Former employees of a Harrisburg lobbyist are now atop the official staff and political fundraising arm of the Pennsylvania Senate’s Republican majority, further deepening the influence and ties of the lobbyist’s firms with decision-makers in the Capitol.

Senate GOP leaders tap well-connected Pa. political operative to lead campaign arm

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted of The Caucus

April 1, 2021

In his first speech as top leader of the Pennsylvania Senate last week, Republican Sen. Jake Corman positioned himself as a reformer seeking to restore faith in government by greatly increasing transparency in the legislature and by elected lawmakers.

New Pa. GOP leader pushes transparency reforms despite party’s past reluctance, obstruction

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted and Sam Janesch of The Caucus

Jan. 12, 2021

Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman is widely considered next in line to ascend to the chamber’s top leadership post.

Top Pa. GOP lawmaker taps politically connected lobbyist to be chief of staff

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted of The Caucus

Sept. 14, 2020

Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman headlined an event in March that raised cash for a dark money group.

Dark money mystery: Top Pa. lawmaker helped raise cash for nonprofit whose agenda is largely a secret

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted and Sam Janesch of The Caucus

Aug. 20, 2020

Senate GOP leaders said they are still hoping for a vote this week, but they are working against the clock: The legislature will break for the summer later this month.

Prospects dimming for behind-the-scenes push to expand video gaming in Pa.

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted of The Caucus

June 23, 2020

Top Pa. GOP lawmaker fast-tracking a lucrative gambling expansion that would benefit a major campaign donor

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted and Sam Janesch of The Caucus

June 19, 2020

Sens. Mike Regan and Tom Killion (far right) held a joint Senate committee meeting last week to examine the issue of waivers.

Pa. senators threaten subpoena if Wolf administration refuses to turn over list of coronavirus business waivers

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted of The Caucus

April 27, 2020

Both the state House and Senate have passed temporary rules allowing remote voting, yet some members still choose to come into the Capitol.

Pa. legislature making few cuts, no promises to tap hefty reserves as state faces massive budget shortfall

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted of The Caucus

April 10, 2020

Businesses not classified as life-sustaining were ordered to close March 19, and though the scope of that order has been revised several times, large swaths of Pennsylvania’s economy remain shuttered.

Pa. to close waiver process for businesses affected by coronavirus shutdown as calls for transparency mount

by Brad Bumsted of The Caucus and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

April 3, 2020

House officials initially argued the state Constitution gave them the right to shield certain information about how lawmakers and their staff spend money.

Pa. House drops ‘legislative privilege,’ will release lawmaker spending details

by Brad Bumsted and Sam Janesch of The Caucus and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

March 5, 2020

The information deleted from Senate documents included details on the purpose of the chamber’s expenses, including travel, meetings, and conferences.

Pa. Senate officials scrub details from financial records, raising alarm among open records advocates

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted and Sam Janesch of The Caucus

March 5, 2020

Lawyers for the House say "legislative privilege" shields the details of lawmakers' spending.

Pa. lawmakers black out details of why they spent tax dollars, claiming ‘legislative privilege’

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted and Sam Janesch of The Caucus

Feb. 27, 2020

Capitol Notebook

The Pa. Senate's most powerful Republican won't seek reelection

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted and Paula Knudsen of The Caucus

Feb. 12, 2020

Campaign Finance

Reporters for The Caucus and Spotlight PA spent a year requesting and analyzing thousands of credit card statements and receipts for Pa. legislative campaigns to uncover examples of lavish and outlandish spending.

The 10 most extravagant or bizarre campaign expenses by Pa. state lawmakers

by Brad Bumsted and Sam Janesch of The Caucus

Oct. 25, 2019

Campaign Finance

The leader of the Pennsylvania Senate, Joe Scarnati, was among three senators who went on a European trip shortly after the Legislature passed a sweeping overhaul expanding wine sales.

Mystery trip to Europe with ‘donors’ by Pa. state senators followed expansion of wine law

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted and Sam Janesch of The Caucus

Oct. 23, 2019

Campaign Finance

Reporters for The Caucus and Spotlight PA spent a year requesting and analyzing thousands of credit card statements and receipts for Pa. legislative campaigns to uncover examples of lavish and outlandish spending.

How we uncovered nearly $3.5M in dark spending by Pa. lawmakers

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted of The Caucus

Oct. 22, 2019

Campaign Finance

The most powerful lawmaker in the Pa. Senate, Joe Scarnati, dined at the St. Peter Stiftskulinarium restaurant in Austria in September 2016 and charged $246 to his campaign account. State law requires campaign money to be used for “influencing the outcome of an election,” but what qualifies is largely open to interpretation.

Lavish dinners, sports tickets, and nearly $3.5 million in other expenses by Pa. lawmakers you’ve never seen

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Mike Wereschagin, Brad Bumsted, Paula Knudsen, Sam Janesch and Alyssa Biederman of The Caucus

Oct. 22, 2019