HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – Pennsylvania State Representative Seth Grove (R-York) is resigning after some colleagues called his new job with a trade group a “conflict of interest.”
Grove is the Republican Chair of the Labor & Industry Committee and, as of January 1, 2026, the CEO of the Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association. As of January 31, 2026, he will no longer be a State Representative after announcing his resignation on Wednesday.
Grove’s resignation comes hours after he was interviewed by abc27’s Dennis Owens on allegations of conflict of interest with his new job.
“Serving as the state representative for the community I grew up in has been the honor of a lifetime,” said Grove in his resignation announcement. “This district shaped who I am, and to have had the opportunity to give back through public service is something I will always cherish. I am eternally grateful to the people who placed their trust and faith in me over the years, and I thank them for allowing me to be their voice in Harrisburg. I hope I met the expectations of the homegrown leader they believed I could be and that my work reflected the values and priorities of the community we share.”
Grove previously announced he is not seeking reelection, and now his new job is paving the way to a life in the private sector.
“It’s ready-mix cement, and it’s concrete,” Grove explained of his new job prior to the resignation announcement on Wednesday. “So think of every single road you’ve been on. Hopefully it’s Pennsylvania aggregate.”
State Representative Emily Kinkead (D-Allegheny) says side hustles are fine, but thinks Grove’s new job is “a huge conflict of interest.”
“This is an association that has a vested interest in the legislation that we move through the legislature, and especially as the minority chair of the Labor and Industry Committee, they have a particularly vested interest in what we move in that committee,” said Kinkead prior to Grove’s announcement.
Grove argued that, as the Minority Party Chair of the Labor & Industry Committee, he has “zero say in what happens in this place.” He also said lawyers in the State House and his new job discussed the concerns and created firewalls to avoid conflicts.
“You handle it like an adult,” said Grove. “I can walk and chew gum at the same time. I know my limitations, my job.”
Kinkead says she knows a conflict of interest when she sees it, and says she sees it in Grove’s case.
“He is getting a paycheck to advocate for an industry. And being in the legislature gives him information on things that are moving and an insider track to things that are either going to help or harm that industry.”
The State Ethics Commission has been silent on this case because of a court ruling that says it has no jurisdiction over lawmakers in their official capacity.
A special election will need to be scheduled to fill the remainder of Grove’s term. He says he hopes to pass the torch to a new generation in the 196th District, which represents 10 York County municipalities, including Spring Grove and West Manchester townships.
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