Former treasurer of Dauphin County Democratic Committee and current chair of Harrisburg Zoning Hearing Board failed to file required statement of financial interests for past two years

 Updated 10:33 PM EDT, July 14, 2026

By Laura Harding

A Right-to-Know Request submitted to the City of Harrisburg has revealed that Claude Phipps, the current chair of the City of Harrisburg Zoning Hearing Board and immediate past treasurer of the Dauphin County Democratic Committee, failed to file the required statement of financial interests for years 2024 and 2025. A search of the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission eLibrary resulted in a single statement filed in 2023. Phipps was appointed to City of Harrisburg Zoning Hearing Board in 2021 and currently serves as chair.

Ethics questions abound for Phipps, who it was previously reported, both donated and lent money to the Dauphin County Democratic Committee while serving as its treasurer. The Pennsylvania Ethics Act requires that public officials file Statement of Financial Interests for the preceding calendar year by May 1 of each year during which they hold office or a position and by May 1 of the year after they leave the position. The Act also prohibits a public official from taking the oath of office or continuing upon their duties unless a Statement of Financial Interests has been filed.

Phipps is also qualified as a Magisterial District Judge and is member of multiple boards of directors throughout the community: Bellevue Park Association, Tri-County Housing, treasurer of Boys & Girls Club of Harrisburg, secretary of NAACP Greater Harrisburg Branch and chair of Fair Housing Council of the Capital Region.