The Pennsylvania Society held its annual event last week. Since 1899, during the heyday of the Gilded Age, the Pennsylvania Society has provided Pennsylvanians with a place to meet away from constituents, making it easier for the wealthy and their lobbyists to speak directly to elected officials. (https://www.pasociety.com/history)
37 separate events were held over the weekend. 35 were by invitation only, keeping out those deemed not important enough to be fed or plied with drinks. For Members of the Society, who become members only after two current members recommend them (https://pasociety.wildapricot.org/Apply), and a handful of invited guests, there was one $1,000-a-plate dinner that required “black tie” attire. One party, held by the Carpenters Union, was open to everyone. The event held in New York City benefits New York City’s economy, not Philadelphia’s.
Apparently, no elected official in attendance thought it was inappropriate to accept free food and drinks from lobbyists, campaign contributors, or those seeking power. Many elected officials were happy to be photographed in their black-tie attire at the invitation-only parties or the $1,000-a-plate dinner. Perhaps had the free food and drink not been so good, or the campaign checks so large, fewer elected officials would have attended the private parties. (https://www.pasociety.com/127th-annual-dinner)
The influence peddling was so important that the Philadelphia Inquirer sent four reporters and one editorial writer to the event. (https://www.inquirer.com/politics/pennsylvania/pennsylvania-society-politicians-elite-parties-special-interests-nyc-20251215.html?query=PA%20socieity) According to the Inquirer, “Many of the events were hosted by special-interest groups and corporations that have business with the government and are looking to win influence over glasses of Champagne” . . . “Pace-O-Matic, the Georgia-based operator of “skill games” at the center of negotiations over regulation and taxing of the machines. . , has spent millions on political contributions and lobbying, threw a cocktail reception Thursday night at an Italian restaurant attended by a sizable contingent of state lawmakers.” . . .; “Another bipartisan event was hosted by Independence Blue Cross and AmeriHealth Caritas, insurance companies that have Medicaid contracts with the state.”
There was no quote from The Committee of 70 attacking the secretive money-in-politics operation. Perhaps because the Chair of the Committee, Tom Hutton’s employer, Independence Blue Cross, was one of the businesses with state contracts that held an invitation-only event. (https://seventy.org/staff-board) Neither the Inquirer reporters nor its editorial writer considered the thoughts of those shut out of the dinner and events important enough to include in their reporting. Not a single line in the article suggested that buying elected officials’ time with food and drink was illegal, inappropriate, or immoral.
It is important to note that the society has come a long way from the “bad old days” when it gave its Gold Medal Award to avowed racist, anti-civil rights advocate, J Edgar Hoover. (https://www.politicspa.com/the-history-of-pa-society-a-timeline/71206/). And it is no longer acceptable to stuff a cash-filled envelope into a jacket pocket. The offerings are limited to free food and drink and a “gift bags”.
A second major change is that those being invited and given the free drinks and food are no longer just straight white men. At the annual meeting, the Society may not be feeding the hungry or homeless, but it no longer blatantly discriminates based on race, religion, or sexual orientation as J Edgar Hoover implored it to do.(https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/mar/21/the-gospel-of-j-edgar-hoover-lerone-martin) The party’s organizers invite those they believe will help provide contracts, favorable tax laws, and other legislation that will benefit the wealthy and corporations, regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation.
Is this an improvement: Allowing people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community to meet the wealthy in private and be plied with food and drinks? Years ago, the only way people of color could have attended was as servants. Now they are treated to the fineries the wealthy offer. And maybe that is what some of those calling for social justice wanted: to integrate those who were perhaps getting legal payoffs.
Or is this simply proof of how successful the rich and powerful can be at buying influence? Does the Pennsylvania Society’s offering some scholarships and shutting out people based on their inability to access power, as opposed to race, change the nature of what happens at the annual meeting? Is it still the rich and powerful telling elected and appointed officials what they want?
Is the fact that those behind closed doors are of different races and sexual orientations enough to be called justice? Is it what Dr. King gave his life for? Or is it closer to Richard Pryor’s line, “You go down there lookin’ for justice, that’s what you find: just us.”
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