Senate requests Wolf administration release documents related to pandemic

The state Senate filed a formal request with the Commonwealth Court to force Gov. Tom Wolf to release documents associated with mandated business closures related to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The filing asks the court to enforce a Senate’s subpoena that seeks access to the records to examine if legislative action is necessary to correct inequities, both for the pandemic and any future emergencies.

The Senate is “clearly within its authority, the records demanded are sufficiently specific, and the records sought are reasonably relevant to its investigation of the waiver process overseen by DCED (Department of Community and Economic Development) to exempt businesses from Governor Wolf’s March 19th closure order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the filing said.

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Cameron County), Majority Leader Jake Corman (R-Centre County), and Sen. Mike Regan (R-Cumberland County), Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee chairman, voted to subpoena the records April 30.

The Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee also voted April 30 to subpoena the documents.

Wolf said he could not release the information to the Senate because of an audit being conducted by the state’s auditor general at the request of the Senate and executive privilege.