"Shock" and no Awe: Corbett won't prosecute Republicans before the election

A Captain Renault post:  As you can imagine, I am "shocked, shocked" to hear Attorney General (and Space Cadet) Tom Corbett tell us all today that he won't be bringing any more charges related to Bonusgate before the election.  That means of course that after 20 months of investigations and grand juries all over the state, AG/SC Corbett will NOT be indicting any Republicans any time soon.  I am "shocked" that he now says he has run out of time to charge Republicans.

Of course, maybe he "ran out of time" to indict Republicans because he and his fellow space cadets spent well over 18 months investigating only Democrats.  Or maybe he can't indict Republicans because the House Republicans destroyed all of the hard drives in their caucus computer operation.  Or maybe the statewide Republican party leaders just flat out told he he can't indict Republicans before the election -- this state is just too important in the race(s) for President, Congress, and the State House.  Why ruin a good thing?  Using all of my skills in recognizing hypocrisy and double standards when I see them my guess is: all of the above--and more.

You can almost see AG/SC Corbett in the smoke-filled room with the party bigwigs during the recent Republican National Convention laying out the plan to "run out of time" before the November election.  "We have a great issue Tom", "we can beat Democrats over the head with Bonusgate", "PA is so important -- don't ruin our chances Tom". 

It is not hard to imagine the conversations that took place in the Twin Cities.  This was a convention after all attended by the current chief of staff to Republican Minority Leader Sam Smith (Tony Aliano) and by Rep. John Perzel's former chief of staff (Brian Preski).  Let me emphasize theses point: all of the major players in the PA Republican party were there -- in the same room, at the same meetings, at the same lunches, dinners, and bars.  The very official supposed to be investigating House Republicans is having a good ol' time with some of the key House Republican players at the Republican convention.

AG/SC Corbett is now barely even pretending to be even-handed in this Bonusgate investigation.  Despite all of the rumors and inside the capitol buzz over the last month about Republicans "being in trouble" Corbett comes out today and makes it clear that the Republicans can continue to use the Bonusgate and "corruption" issue against the Democrats in PA in this election year.  Corbett plays the good Republican soldier today and and the public, reporters, editorial writers and especially Democrats be damned.