Harrisburg, Pa., May 7, 2019 / 08:15 am
The lawmaker who confronted a woman praying outside Planned Parenthood May 2 was the subject of an investigation by Pennsylvania's State Ethics Commission, after questions were raised in 2017 regarding speaking fees he received while in office.
The state's ethics commission opened an investigation into state Rep. Brian Sims following a 2017 complaint that he had violated Pennsylvania's Ethics Act. Sims is accused of accepting honoraria, including fees and free travel and accommodation, in violation of policies governing state legislators.
Sims has confirmed that he is under investigation, but says the complaint is a political "hit" and the "cost of politics in a city like Philadelphia."
The lawmaker, who has filmed himself offering money to social media users to identify and "dox" women and teenagers, said in June 2017 that the ethics complaint filed against him "was done to hit me where I'm strongest – and I think I'm strongest in my ethics."