Reading Eagle

In 2018, the announcement of an in-depth investigation by Nicole C. Brambila started with, “Beginning Sunday, the Reading Eagle launches a three-day series looking at the deficiencies in the system of appointing guardians to oversee those who are incapacitated. The special report, ‘Unguarded: How the courts fail the vulnerable,’ reveals the findings of a Reading Eagle investigation that began 15 months ago.” (March 3) The announcement ended with an invitation, “If you or a loved one has had an experience with the guardian system in Pennsylvania, send your story and contact information…”

Here are the articles and follow-up at the Reading Eagle (or, if unavailable, at archive.org):

• Unguarded: Montgomery County couple’s trust betrayed [archive.org] (Brambila; March 4, 2018). No page available at the Reading Eagle.

• Professionals normally appointed, incapacitation nearly always granted (Brambila; March 4) Article not available at Reading Eagle or at archive.org.

• A Berks man loses guardianship fight for elderly aunt (Brambila; March 5).

• Finding solutions to Pennsylvania’s troubled system of naming guardians(Brambila; March 6).

• Editorial: Important safeguard failing state’s elderly (March 11, 2018)

• Letter: ‘Unguarded’ series enlightens public (William H. Rissmiller; March 14, 2018)

• Letter: Guardianship poses challenge for courts (C. Thomas Work, March 14, 2018)

• Bill would require background checks for guardianship — “State Rep. Mark Gillen began seeking co-sponsors for the bill [House Bill 2247] two days after reading a Reading Eagle investigation…” (Brambila; April 14, 2018)

• Pennsylvania’s guardianship system has room for improvement, some in the field say (Stephanie Weaver; May 14, 2018)

• A closer look at one case of guardianship in Berks County (Stephanie Weaver; May 14, 2018)

Power imbalances exist in all social systems: at the macro level where anti-social norms are established and at the personal level where self-efficacy is defined and confined by community. The promise of trust, realized, may mitigate power imbalances; but when trust is betrayed, even hijacked, persons and society are compromised. This is evident in guardianship cases reported the Reading Eagle and in the response to its revealing investigation.

Americans under guardianship have their constitutional rights violated when freedom of expression and association (Cornell) are deficient or denied. The same can be said when the freedom of press is assailed and abridged by authorities. James Madison’s early draft of the First Amendment concluded: “The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, to write, or to publish their sentiments; and the freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable.” (American Bar Association, Stephen J. Wermiel; March 26, 2019)

The Reading Eagle email address provided to elicit reader experiences about guardianships was removed. No subsequent personal stories were pursued. Nicole Brambila was pushed out after exposing powerful people. Brambila moved on to PublicSource (author profile), “a nonpartisan, nonprofit, digital-first media organization dedicated to serving Pittsburgh and the region. PublicSource inspires critical thinking and bold ideas through journalism rooted in facts, diverse voices and pursuit of transparency.”