Open Records: Only If You Can Get Them

I'm a bit miffed this afternoon.  On December 3rd I requested records about Rep. Thomas "Traitor Tom" Caltagirone's candidate campaign finance filings with the Department of State.  I finally got an email lat last week that they were ready.  I only requested his personal reports because all of the campaign committee reports were online.  Why it took a month to pull a few pieces of paper was mysterious.  There was very little on these documents besides zeroes and his signature because he failed to report numerous reimbursements from his committee, as required by law.

I drove to Harrisburg today to pick up my documents and pay the fee for copying and was wondering why the pile of paper was so large.  I found out when I got to the cafe inside the Capital and perused them.  All but two were campaign finance reports I'd already gotten off the State website.  These were NOT the ones I requested.  I didn't need any finance reports for Friends of Thomas Caltagirone and didn't request any.  I asked for his personal, candidate filings of which they produced two.

What good is any open records law when state employees aren't able to process a simple request?  What am I supposed to do now, wait another month?  I have to wonder how much the Chair of the powerful Judiciary Committee might be behind this inability to get his reports.  No one can really be this incompetent can they?

The worse part is it cost me four hours driving time, plus gas and parking, and $21.70 for documents I already printed off their website.