CORBETT'S DRIVEL AND ILLEGAL LEAKS

A Captain Renault post: Yesterday I published a post on Corbett and his staff illegally leaking information from the Bonusgate secret grand jury proceeding. Anyone who has followed the Bonusgate story from the start has seen how Corbett and his team work to manipulate the press coverage to Corbett's advantage with well-placed and timely leaks to reporters all over the state. The stories often have insight and direct quotes from "anonymous" sources that could only come from inside the AG's office. In every article Corbett's spokesman and political operative Kevin Harley publicly states (one would assume with a smile and a smirk) that the AG's office has "no comment" because the grand jury process is "secret".

It is illegal for the AG and his staff to leak secret grand jury information to the press. Illegal -- as in against the law. And as in the law Corbett is sworn to uphold. Last week, in an astounding coincidence, both the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and the Philadelphia Inquirer published articles on the same day with leaks from Corbett's office. Read the articles here and here for yourself.

Last week's leaks by Corbett's staff were so blatant that Corbett himself felt compelled to disingenuously assure the public that the leaks did not come from his office. In an article in the Indiana Gazette published last weekend Corbett provides lots of drivel and pious comments about the sanctity of the secret grand jury process. His comments in the article reach a new high for hypocrisy and double talk -- even for Corbett.

The best line in his speech is this: "So when you see stories out there, I'm reasonably assured that they didn't come from my staff."

I will again point out that is is illegal for the AG and his staff to leak secret grand jury information. It is a crime. And now we know Corbett is "reasonably assured" his staff did not break the law. The top law enforcement officer in our state is "reasonably assured" that is own staff is not committing criminal acts. How comforting.

What we really need is a grand jury to "reasonably assure" the public that the top law enforcers aren't breaking the law.