A Berks County lawmaker is calling for a grand jury investigation into the Pennsylvania Game Commission on what he describes as abuse and harassment of the state agency’s employees.Call for more attention into malpractice claimsRep. David Maloney, R-Berks County, said the problems at the commission should be addressed by putting more attention into malpractice claims and changing how commissioners are appointed.”There’s a long history of bad behavior in this organization,” Maloney said.Maloney said employee mistreatment at the Pennsylvania Game Commission dates back before 2020.”The audit that I believe was done in 2018 by an auditor general, Eugene De Pasquale, he had stated a lot of bad sort of mismanagement, and that probably could be considered a lot of the start of this,” Maloney said. Maloney said employees, including women, have been verbally abused and harassed.Maloney shared an example from January 2024 involving two Game Commission employees and union representatives who spoke out against leadership at a public meeting. “Various members of our union have been lied to, threatened, and retaliated against,” said Jason Amory, former president of Conservation Police Officers Lodge 114. Brian Witherite, vice president of Conservation Police Officers Lodge 114, said the situation was not isolated.”There is not one specific instance that brought us here today. It has been an accumulation of actions displayed that, as a result of where we are,” Witherite said. Days later, the two employees were reprimanded for wearing their uniforms and driving a department vehicle to a non-Game Commission training event, which was not allowed. The training event happened two days after the public meeting.An arbitrator later found the reprimands were retaliatory.The Game Commission said some allegations predate current leadership and that it knows of no evidence of incidents that would warrant a grand jury.”We have strongly encouraged employees to report concerns to Human Resources and will cooperate with any proper investigations. Without such reports, our team remains unified in its focus on managing wildlife, protecting habitat and promoting responsible hunting and trapping,” said a spokesperson for the PGC.The governor’s office said any allegations of misconduct should be reviewed promptly and under established policies. Adding, “The Shapiro Administration is committed to ensuring safe, respectful workplaces across the Commonwealth.”The state attorney general’s office, which oversees grand jury investigations, has not responded to our request if they’ve received a formal request for a grand jury investigation.Full Pennsylvania Gaming Commission statement”The Pennsylvania Game Commission respects Rep. Dave Maloney’s commitment to serve as a watchdog and critic of the Commission. The agency is just as committed to serving the people of the Commonwealth. We have reviewed the reported allegations that predate current Commission leadership. More importantly, we know of no evidence of any incidents that would warrant a grand jury. We have strongly encouraged employees to report concerns to Human Resources and will cooperate with any proper investigations. Without such reports, our team remains unified in its focus on managing wildlife, protecting habitat and promoting responsible hunting and trapping.”Full statement from Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office”The Shapiro Administration is committed to ensuring safe, respectful workplaces across the Commonwealth. It expects any allegations of misconduct to be reviewed promptly, thoroughly, and in accordance with established policies.”

SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP, Pa. —

A Berks County lawmaker is calling for a grand jury investigation into the Pennsylvania Game Commission on what he describes as abuse and harassment of the state agency’s employees.

Call for more attention into malpractice claims

Rep. David Maloney, R-Berks County, said the problems at the commission should be addressed by putting more attention into malpractice claims and changing how commissioners are appointed.

“There’s a long history of bad behavior in this organization,” Maloney said.

Maloney said employee mistreatment at the Pennsylvania Game Commission dates back before 2020.

“The audit that I believe was done in 2018 by an auditor general, Eugene De Pasquale, he had stated a lot of bad sort of mismanagement, and that probably could be considered a lot of the start of this,” Maloney said.

Maloney said employees, including women, have been verbally abused and harassed.

Maloney shared an example from January 2024 involving two Game Commission employees and union representatives who spoke out against leadership at a public meeting.

“Various members of our union have been lied to, threatened, and retaliated against,” said Jason Amory, former president of Conservation Police Officers Lodge 114.

Brian Witherite, vice president of Conservation Police Officers Lodge 114, said the situation was not isolated.

“There is not one specific instance that brought us here today. It has been an accumulation of actions displayed that, as a result of where we are,” Witherite said.

Days later, the two employees were reprimanded for wearing their uniforms and driving a department vehicle to a non-Game Commission training event, which was not allowed. The training event happened two days after the public meeting.

An arbitrator later found the reprimands were retaliatory.

The Game Commission said some allegations predate current leadership and that it knows of no evidence of incidents that would warrant a grand jury.

“We have strongly encouraged employees to report concerns to Human Resources and will cooperate with any proper investigations. Without such reports, our team remains unified in its focus on managing wildlife, protecting habitat and promoting responsible hunting and trapping,” said a spokesperson for the PGC.

The governor’s office said any allegations of misconduct should be reviewed promptly and under established policies. Adding, “The Shapiro Administration is committed to ensuring safe, respectful workplaces across the Commonwealth.”

The state attorney general’s office, which oversees grand jury investigations, has not responded to our request if they’ve received a formal request for a grand jury investigation.

Full Pennsylvania Gaming Commission statement

“The Pennsylvania Game Commission respects Rep. Dave Maloney’s commitment to serve as a watchdog and critic of the Commission. The agency is just as committed to serving the people of the Commonwealth.

We have reviewed the reported allegations that predate current Commission leadership. More importantly, we know of no evidence of any incidents that would warrant a grand jury.

We have strongly encouraged employees to report concerns to Human Resources and will cooperate with any proper investigations. Without such reports, our team remains unified in its focus on managing wildlife, protecting habitat and promoting responsible hunting and trapping.”

Full statement from Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office

“The Shapiro Administration is committed to ensuring safe, respectful workplaces across the Commonwealth. It expects any allegations of misconduct to be reviewed promptly, thoroughly, and in accordance with established policies.”