Another reason for Pennsylvania institutions’ complicated web of ties to fossil fuel companies is the lack of transparency around lobbying in the state. “Pennsylvania’s public integrity laws are so weak, and its disclosure systems for lobbying data and campaign finance data are so weak,” Browning said. “That makes it hard to call people out. It s hard to tell exactly what the lobbyists are doing.” The Center for Public Integrity assigned Pennsylvania a D for its lobbying disclosure in 2015.
