Doylestown Dems Return Cash After State Finds They Violated Election Law
The Doylestown Democrats returned three corporate contributions for the 2024 election cycle after the Pennsylvania Department of State’s Bureau of Campaign Finance and Lobbying Disclosure found they violated state election law.
During that time, Connor O’Hanlon chaired the group. Borough Council unanimously appointed O’Hanlon to a vacancy on the council in January. Officials screened him for the council position during the state’s investigation. The borough website says that O’Hanlon is a CPA.
Political Action Committees, such as the Doylestown Democrats, are barred from accepting corporate donations.
“Despite local Democrats claiming laws don’t matter, laws in fact do matter,” said Ed Sheppard, Doylestown Republican Committee communications chairman. “The Doylestown Democrats knowingly accepted prohibited corporate donations from three different sources to help their local candidates for township supervisor and borough council. This is a reminder to them that the laws and rules that apply to the rest of us apply to them, too.”
The Doylestown Democrats returned a total of $1,700. While that may seem like a small amount, Sheppard told DVJournal that local political organizations like this don’t have large budgets, so although it appears to be a small amount, it’s a significant chunk of money for them.
“Local offices, like this year’s township supervisor’s race, are not supposed to have corporate sponsors,” he said.
Sheppard noted that the Department of State’s Doylestown investigation into the Doylestown matter came after the Bucks County Board of Elections, chaired by Commissioner Bob Harvie Jr., decided not to sanction Falls Township Democrats who failed to report thousands in union donations.
“It is refreshing to see the Pennsylvania Department of State react quickly to the current state of affairs in Bucks County government,” said Sheppard. “After the Board of Elections, run by Bob Harvie, gave Bob Harvie’s buddies in Falls Township a pass, I am sure I am not the only one glad to see the state stepping in to ensure Democrats follow campaign finance laws here in Bucks.”
Harvie, a former Falls supervisor, is now running for Congress against Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks).
“Every single borough council member, including O’Hanlon, as past and/or future candidates, had the potential to benefit from those corporate donations, and yet kept the investigation a secret during O’Hanlon’s screening,” said Sheppard. “Every council member, especially former chair O’Hanlon, owes the public an explanation as to why this didn’t come up publicly during the early 2025 screening process.”
Neither O’Hanlon nor the Doylestown Democrats responded to requests for comment on Tuesday.
