Public officials cannot be made to pay restitution for violating state ethics rules if the financial benefit went to a family member rather than directly to the public official, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled, wiping out a $30,000 restitution order imposed on a former town supervisor and public works director who pushed to get his son hired on the town’s road crew.

The justices ruled unanimously Thursday to reverse the State Ethics Commission and the Commonwealth Court in Sivick v. State Ethics Commission, holding that the portion of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act clearly stated that public officials can only be made to pay restitution if they personally benefit from their conduct.

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