Bob Harvie, the leading Democratic candidate challenging Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick in Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District, is under scrutiny for his handling of opioid settlement funds.
Harvie, a Bucks County commissioner since 2020 and board chair since 2022, oversees a multi-million-dollar fund designed to support addiction recovery programs.
According to a report from The Washington Free Beacon, a portion of this money was allocated to a local LGBT youth center that serves minors, raising questions about the appropriateness of the spending.
Public records indicate that the county board approved a $13,500 grant in December 2024 to Planned Parenthood Keystone’s Rainbow Room.
The funding was specifically earmarked to cover transportation costs for youth between the ages of 14 and 21 to access the center’s programs.
Earlier grant lists, including an October 2023 report, show no allocations to the Rainbow Room, indicating this was a new addition under Harvie’s leadership, according to The Blaze.
The grant document describes the funding as supporting “expanding services and transportation” to the facility, confirming it came directly from the county’s opioid settlement fund intended for addiction recovery programs.
The Rainbow Room offers programs aimed at LGBT youth, including social events, educational sessions on so-called “gender identity” and seminars addressing medical transition.
Among its activities are “Queer Prom” events, drag performances and interactive workshops on social and medical aspects of sex changes for adolescents.
The center has also collaborated with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Gender Clinic, which provides medical guidance on hormone therapy and other transition-related treatments for minors.
The grant has sparked criticism from political opponents.
Reilly Richardson, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, stated, “The opioid crisis is devastating communities across the nation, including Bucks County. Redirecting these funds to non-addiction programs is unacceptable. Residents deserve their resources to go where they are needed most.”
Harvie’s involvement with LGBT initiatives in Bucks County is not new.
He hosted a Pride Month event in 2023 alongside the Rainbow Room director, during which the organization distributed materials to attendees.
State Senator Steve Santarsiero, a Harvie supporter, also provided $630,000 in state funding to expand the center, reflecting broader local and state backing.
The controversy adds to Harvie’s political history, The Gateway Pundit notes.
During the 2024 Senate recount, he and fellow commissioner Diane Marseglia voted to count ballots later deemed invalid by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Harvie defended the action as an effort to highlight perceived inconsistencies in the state’s election processes.
Rep. Fitzpatrick, who has represented the district since 2017, emphasizes bipartisanship in his approach to social issues, including support for certain LGBT initiatives.
However, Harvie’s direct use of opioid settlement funds for non-addiction purposes sets the two candidates apart.
The situation highlights broader debates over the use of public funds, local governance and youth programming.
Voters in Bucks County and beyond may consider the allocation of opioid recovery money to programs unrelated to addiction treatment a significant factor in the 2026 congressional race.
How Harvie balances his progressive priorities with public accountability could play a pivotal role in the upcoming election.
