Dauphin County Democratic Committee operating under shadow leadership of state legislators and their staff

September 6, 2026

by Laura Harding

The newly elected Dauphin County Democratic Committee (DCDC) leadership, and what appears to be their shadow leadership, are sidestepping the bylaws and making up their own rules. The committee reorganized on June 11, and since then, the new Chair hasn’t issued a statement about what their priorities have been during the transition and for moving the party forward. Reports have been published about a grim financial situation which included the possibility of a forensic audit of the committee bank account, held by the previous treasurer and Chair, but was determined to be cost prohibitive at a $20,000 fee. Those in attendance at the first Executive Committee meeting held by new leadership report that it was decided by leadership at the meeting that they would instead open a new bank account and forego the audit. It begs the question, if the forensic audit was off the table because of cost, then how is the alleged salary of $75,000 for an Executive Director being funded and why is it needed? The bylaws do not include a provision for a paid staffer but require the financial records to be “independently reviewed according to generally accepted accounting principles prior to October 1st following the County Reorganization Meeting or in any year where a new Treasurer is elected.”

The Pennsylvania Department of State Bureau of Elections registered committee list appears to show that the political party committee (PLC) formed in 1979 as “Dauphin County Democratic Committee,” has been abandoned, as the former treasurer is still listed on it as active. The political committee listed on a DCDC flyer for a fundraising mixer to be held in October, has a start date of June 29, 2026, for a political action committee (PAC) named “Dauphin County Democrats Victory Fund.” It lists state representative Justin Fleming as the Chairperson and state senator Patty Kim staffer, Abreham Kittel, as treasurer. Kittel ran as treasurer on the DCDC slate with newly elected Chair Ciera Dent.  

PA Department of State, committee registration for Dauphin County Democratic Committee; date of registration 16 Feb 1979

PA Department of State committee registration, Dauphin County Democrats Victory Fund PAC; date of registration 29 June 2026

The Chair of DCDC was elected for a term of four years by committee members elected by democratic electors of Dauphin County. So for the the Chair to not be listed on committee registration documents with the state and instead list a two-term elected representative of the General Assembly as Chair on forms submitted two weeks post-election is highly unusual. Additionally, the first fundraising event scheduled in October directs donations to be made to the newly formed PAC, misleading donors into thinking they are donating to DCDC when there is no evidence linking the two committees.

DCDC fall fundraiser for Dauphin County Democrats Victory Fund. Source: DCDC Facebook page.

Then there is the mysterious alleged hiring of Robert Wolgemuth, former campaign manager to state representative Justin Fleming and state senator Patty Kim as Executive Director, a position whose job description nobody outside of DCDC knows and whose hiring hasn’t been announced by leadership. Wolgemuth is also listed as the former treasurer of state representative Justin Fleming and state representative Dave Madsen’s SixPAC committee that was behind the slate of candidates running for DCDC leadership. Adding insult to injury, Wolgemuth’s alleged salary of $75,000 is more than double Dent’s reported staffer salary of $33,000— so why not pay her if a paid position is needed?

PA Department of State committee registration, SixPAC; date of registration 23 October 2025.

Slate of candidates backed by Fleming and Madsen’s PAC

Chair Ciera Dent’s PA House of Representative’s salary. Source: Pennsylvania Pennwatch

Staffers to state legislators reported to be filling committee positions within DCDC include: Chair Ciera Dent, staffer to state representative Nate Davidson; Executive Director Robert Wolgemuth, former treasurer to SixPAC and campaign manager to state representative Justin Fleming and state senator Patty Kim; Abreham Kittel, staffer to state senator Patty Kim; Jared Eckert and Kisha Simmons, staffers to state representative Dave Madsen.