As President Donald Trump stands to receive a luxury Boeing 747 jet from the government of Qatar — a gift valued at $400 million — ethics experts and legal scholars are raising red flags. Federal law clearly restricts elected officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments, especially when they could be construed as bribes. But in Pennsylvania, the same gift wouldn’t trigger an investigation — it would be perfectly legal.

In fact, under current state law, Pennsylvania lawmakers can accept unlimited gifts from lobbyists and corporations — including cash, luxury vacations, superbowl tickets, and even vehicles. That’s not an accident. It’s legal by design.

We Don’t Need More Oversight— We Need a Ban

There is a solution: Ban gifts. Prohibit lawmakers from accepting anything of value from lobbyists or those seeking government action.

That’s what MarchOnHarrisburg has been fighting over 8 years for — a straightforward Gift Ban that would stop lawmakers from accepting items of value from lobbyists or anyone trying to influence policy. The Gift Ban is overwhelmingly popular with Pennsylvanians across the political spectrum. A Franklin and Marshall poll from 2023 found that 93% of Pennsylvanians view money in politics as a “threat to our democracy” – yet Harrisburg leaders continue to shun the issue.

Three Gift Ban bills are sitting in the legislature right now, in both the House and the Senate Lawmakers could pass it tomorrow. But House and Senate leaders are blocking the bill — because they directly profit from the status quo. Every time it gains traction, it dies quietly with no fingerprints on the body — smothered by leaders who benefit from the current system.

These leaders aren’t confused or unaware of the issue (even if they try to feign ignorance). They know exactly what they’re doing. They are protecting a system that protects them — a system in which serving big money interests is rewarded and challenging it is punished.

In total, top lawmakers raised $42.2 million from Jan. 1, 2023, through Dec. 31, 2024.
— Spotlight PA, March 25, 2025

Who Benefits? Not Us.

The gift system in Harrisburg isn’t about friendship or generosity — it’s about access and results. Lobbyists hand out perks not because they’re generous, but because it works. Corporate donors and special interest groups get their bills prioritized. Wealthy developers get tax breaks. Fossil fuel companies get deregulation. And everyday Pennsylvanians get left behind.

This is why Pennsylvania has some of the weakest environmental protections in the country, why efforts to raise the minimum wage have stalled for years, and why corporate subsidies flow freely while public services go underfunded. The system is engineered to serve those who can afford to buy influence.

And because these gifts are legal, the corruption is harder to root out. It hides behind the façade of “hospitality,” “friendship,” and “networking.”

Change Is Possible — But Only If We Organize

Legalized bribery doesn’t have to be the norm. Across Pennsylvania, we’re building a movement to end corruption and build a democracy that serves people, not profit. We’re not waiting for the political establishment to police itself. We know this corrupted system won’t fix itself — but we also know that organized people can do what our politicians won’t. We’ve already moved the Gift Ban further than anyone thought possible. Now we’re ready to pass it across the finish line this session.

As Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr said, “History has taught...it is not enough for people to be angry—the supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.”

If you believe lawmakers should serve the people — not the lobbyists — now is the time to get organized. Join us. Join the democracy movement for the long haul.