While dozens of lawmakers continue to be implicated in a Washington, D.C., lobbying scandal, Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Rick Santorum has announced plans to donate to charity $11,000 in campaign contributions that were connected to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Santorum's campaign spokeswoman Virginia Davis said Santorum is taking steps to create lobbying reform legislation to address some of the problems revealed in the Abramoff case.

"He wants to take a leading role in the Senate and set an example," Davis said.

Abramoff pleaded guilty last week to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials.

Davis said Santorum has already donated $2,000 connected to the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, one of the tribes mentioned in the case. She added that Santorum vowed to donate all contributions connected to Abramoff -- $3,000 went to his campaign and $8,000 went to his political action committee.

However, some State College residents said they are skeptical of Santorum's motivations.

"I think Santorum is just trying to save his skin," Penn State College Democrats President Alex Smith said.

Chairman of the Centre County Democratic Committee Bob Shepherd agreed.

"I think that this scandal affects nationally and works to benefit [Democratic candidate] Bob Casey in his campaign against Santorum," he said.

However, Penn State College Republicans President Vicky Cangelosi said she questions the logic of blaming only Republicans. "I think there is a lot more to the scandal than what the media is presenting," she said.

The scandal has crossed party lines by implicating former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas as well as Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York. Pennsylvania Republicans Reps. Bill Shuster and Melissa Hart have said they would give up funds connected to the scandal.

"It's really too early to see how the scandal will end, but it seems to go very high up in the Republican Party," Smith said.

Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter, who also accepted $6,000 from Abramoff, did not respond to requests for comment about his intentions with the money.

As for the best way to handle the problem, both sides of State College's political spectrum offered similar advice.

"The best way is to be more thoughtful in accepting money," Shepherd said.

G.T. Thompson, chairman of the Centre County Republican Committee, emphasized that the scandal affects both parties. "I think that both Democrats and Republicans need to watch where their money is coming from," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.