Today's Post-Gazette contains Gubernatorial Candidate Tom Corbett's most hilarious rationalization yet. Faced with undeniable proof that he ignored campaign shenanigans when they didn't involve Mike Veon, Corbett pretends he's still mulling the evidence after nearly a year.
Almost two weeks ago, CasablancaPa pointed out that Corbett had, in response to Veon's motion for dismissal, abandoned his longtime practice of vaguely referencing possible future indictments. Instead, he dipped his toe in the water of actually defending his own actions (or inaction, in his case). Apparently, that didn't work out so well, so he darted back into his "investigation is continuing" sofa fort.
Will Corbett now indict Steve Stetler, just so he can prove Veon wrong? Considering the rate at which Corbett's investigations creep along, Stetler might not have to worry about it for at least another year or two.
18 comments:
The simple facts are that all 4 caucuses had sloppy practices that crossed some lines of ethics and legality, but not all was ever intended, and there are practical, sound, and fair ways to correct the problems.
The real firmness should be how all 4 leadership caucuses along with the Attorney General, Ethics Commission, Judicial Conduct Board, and certain selected Public Interests Groups whose interests have been good government, can benefit the commonwealth without any cover ups, deal making, and failures that are far less costly alternatives.
They can come together and come up with ways to make the commonwealth whole due to lapses of judgment and admissions of misuse of state resources that can be paid back, as well as an agreement among all Attorneys representing all parties.
After all, these practices have already been stopped dead cold with the examinations of Bill Chadwick and reviews of Chris Casey independently.
Reforms that the House Democratic Caucuses placed in 2006 without fanfare and kept silent in implementation. Along with new House Republican Caucuses Reforms placed in effect this year.
This will lighten the burden of the people’s Attorney General Office is seeking in a proper and justified resolution of these investigations in the best interest of the commonwealth truly want to make sure happen in the end anyway.
In essence, Attorney General Tom Corbett has already done his job with his invesigations.
AG Corbett can demonstrate a far more common sense, public clean-up approach in making sure more commonwealth funds are not misused in prosecutions that no longer with result in any new reforms.
This can effect be part of New Reforms as recommended by these governmental watchdogs groups as well candid advice from defendants that can admit what went wrong and how to avoid such actions in the future.
At the same time, even newspapers and media can be brought in to examine if such a fair, forthright, and proper resolution was reached on behalf and for the benefit of the commonwealth resources, coffers, and people with the interest of justice being heralded as new ways to save tax dollars while having reforms passed forevermore.
"Prosecuting criminals is a waste of money."
Another brilliant defense. Seriously, how much do you pay your attorneys for this?
The leader that come up with a way for the Attorney General Office to implement reforms, find a fair solution for mistakes that cost commonwealth monies, and strong enough to explain to the people, a just solution was reached, is the kind of leadership this state needs for the future.
It comes from social responsibility, an accountability to understand fairness, and the object of finding new ways to govern with compassion and a steady hand towards making laws, procedures, and policies better for all people.
America has been let done by many on Wall Street seeking selfish buyouts while risking others people money. Pennsylvania is the State that changed the world with the Constitution being written in Philadelphia, Gettysburg saving the Union, and the Industrial of Age whereby electric, oil, and natural gas created in Pennsylvania changed the world.
Pennsylvania is again on the brink of developing new greener and cleaner energy to change the world again, but we need a Governor strong enough to tell us, what will help us as people, for our state and our citizens.
A Governor that make our state whole from mistakes in judgments, save money with proper recovery of state monies, and have those error join in finding true reforms because they know the process sow ell and will avoid future mistakes, is the kind of leaders this state needs.
It will begin and end with how Bonusgate will be resolved, and that is challenges towards new innovations to change old ways that retard the process not reform it.
You know what the fair and just response to public corruption is? Prosecution and punishment of those involved, especially those who organized it and covered it up.
REAL reform is removing the guilty from office and the state payroll and pension, and the cost of prosecution and incarceration is a price taxpayers are happy to pay out.
Real reform happens when someone goes to jail, loses pension and pay, and any chance to work in Harrisburg or near government.
This was not a mistake, a slip, momentary weakness, a crime of passion. This was greed for power, planned and executed over many years.
Jail works.
I agree Public Corruption should be investigated and prosecuted especially Intentional Public Corruption.
However, it has to have fairness of Due Process as well, and the understanding that it is a worthy Public Corruption Case not Political Party Politics.
Dr. Cyril Wecht was charged with Counts of Public Corruption that had to be reduced, could not be proven, and wasted the Taxpayers in the end, and dismissed after a careful Review on Appeal.
When all the Prosecutor had to do was publicly prove Dr. Wecht owed to payback some money for using alleged governmental offices, and misusing some expense reports from sloppy practices.
Five Years went by and the Justice Department wasted Taxpayers monies and was scolded for their actions and inability to conduct a fair investigation and trial.
Reforms have been put in place to prevent a bonusgate, state work on campaigns, and no one is escaping culpability.
Yet, when all charges are investigated, you are going to find many did not think they were breaking any laws just like Dr. Wecht, and a better way is to save money for trials one cannot win, and will not provide any further safeguards already in place.
This crosses party lines, and there are proper solutions to resolve losses to the commonwealth, and means to make those charged to repay the state, without making victims of anyone.
There is a better way to do it, save Taxpayers money, and hold people responsible fairly, and if you think all these prosecutions will be cheaper when there is a better way to change state government taking into account that some people are being hurt needlessly, well so be it! But that is wrong as far I see it!
Do you really want to equate an alleged full-scale campaign operation,where people were on the state payroll just to do that work, with the state employee who, while adequately performing his or her state-related job duties, answered a personal or campaign-related e-mail once in a while?
The attorney general has made that important distinction.
Let's be intellectually honest here: If law enforcement or an employer went after any employee who ever made a personal phone call on company time or used the Internet for somethng that was not work-related, there would be few people left working.
That's a far different situation than the employee who is running his or her private business full time on company time, which is akin to the alleged behavior of the Bonusgate indictees.
The public gets it; you seem to be the only ones trying to steer where this investigation goes. What's the motivation for that? Maybe you're trying to influence the jury pool for the upcoming trials?
Fortunately for all of us, cases are still tried in court with solid evidence, not on blogs that relentlessly attempt to influence prosecutors who to leave in and who to leave out.
Anonymous 1:58pm -- Pennsylvanian's certainly are fortunate that trials are conducted in front of judges and juries. You saw what happened when Corbett brought his joke of an investigation and case regarding the Beaver Initiative for Growth to the court. He and his keytone kop investigators fell flat on their faces. In fact, Krastek withdrew charges himself before Judge Solomon dismissed the remainder.
So, Anonymous at 1:58, you don't think the public shouldn't question our elected officials? Just shut up and let Corbett conduct his hypocritical, taxpayer-funded campaign for governor? At least someone's raising questions about this mess of an investigation. It's one thing for DeWeese's constituents to overlook his misdeeds in exchange for his bringing home the bacon, but what's in it for Corbett?
I am not Anonymous 1:58, but it is my observation, the investigation has accomplish much of its objectives.
Reforms are in place, everyone is careful to separate campaigns from state time, and the bonuses are no longer being given out.
What is sad, is that all 4 Caucuses in both chambers and both political parties should have been conducted the same time, grand jury findings released the same time, and that is clearly not happening.
DeWeese upon learning of things kept from him, as admitted by Manzo in front of witnesses, did something few public officials do, he had the entire House Democartic Caucus investigated and had over 200 people cooperate with the AG and refused a cover up.
DeWeese also passed Reforms a few montsh after the Investigations were completed, and admitted mistakes were made, and is backing more Reforms.
Are you talking about what DeWeese claims Manzo said to investigators before the secret immunity agreement is signed (interesting that he knows exactly what staff told investigators - wonder if he knows what the other 199 said, too?), or what Manzo told the court under oath at the preliminary hearing last fall? Which story are we to believe?
I only know what I read in the papers.
DeWeese had two choices:
1. Cover up and delay the investigation, and ignore it.
2. Investigate what happen by bringing in an Independent Former Inspector General Prosecutor.
DeWeese did what an Elected Official should have done, investigate the Caucus and report to the Caucus on what happen, and cooperate with any investigation by the AG Office.
DeWeese had no choice but the choices above and his own Staff Members told them they did things behind his back before they were let go. DeWeese admitted mistakes too, but he also has evidence proving he was careful as possible when campaigning.
Veon alleged did many things without everyone in HDC knowing, even his own staff, but not the people charged did thing with intent either and many thought they were doing their jobs. I am not blaming Mike Veon either he deserves a day to explain what he was doing and why, too. It is only fair!
DeWeese never set up a Non-Profit to provide grants to his district, he did it as it was done all along.
Yet, what was and is still unfair is the failure to investigate all 4caucuses and report the findings at the same time.
What was and is still unfair is to have the people charged with Perp Walks in front of the press, when Republican Investigations have yet to be announced!
What is unfair is not providing a full explanation how some campaign practices were going on for years, yet seldom investigated by either party.
Yet, employees were doing what they were told to do, not knowing fully they were breaking laws.
It is truly a tough case to handle, many did not know but when confronted by teh AG Investigators admitted they did so!
It crosses party lines and may even involve Auditor General, Treasury, Judges, and AG Campaigns too. Some people that work at those places still campaign for their bosses too.
Paul Sunyak (former DeWeese hater) and Tom Andrews are hilarious. 30 pieces of silver for each of these wonderful state employees for all of their "Bill is a wonderful guy" crap they constantly write on this blog.
I wonder if Eachus or McCall will hire them when their boss gets exposed.
You need a Biblical refresher course: Judas got 30 pieces of silver for betraying Jesus, not defending Him.
It's more appropos to opine that the 12 people charged by the attorney general each deserve 30 pieces of silver.
Are we actually comparing DeWeese to Jesus, now? That post belongs in the Press Secretary's Hall of Fame! Nice work. We believe it would be "appropos to opine" (what a DeWeesian phrase!) that DeWeese expects Veon & Co. to die for his sins. He will not be redeemed.
DeWeese is now aligning himself with Christiana...talk about 30 pieces of silver. Disgusting.
Jesus did not appear in Casablanca!
Corbett knows the difference between someone ordering an investigation of his own Caucus such as DeWeese did to stop abuses and initiate reforms.
As opposed to someone trying to cover the misdeeds, and having his own staff trying to cover up things that cannot be hidden.
DeWeese refused a cover up, and Corbett knows that too!
Once AG Corbett indict Republicans all of this nonsense will be gone from the blogs. None of this makes sense right now. The facts are someone is trying to confuse issues already not in dispute.
Once Veon either pleas or is convicted just like Fumo all of this can be figured out easily.
Corbett was honorable, DeWeese forthright to investigate the House Caucus, Chadwick reviewed everything and turned over what AG Office required, and Pennsylvania is better off for such actions.
None of these men enjoys watching others be accused of anything. Many of the Defendants got caught up with practices that need reform even while doing great deeds for the commonwealth citizens on long hours with short pay.
Chadwick actually placed new reforms in the HDC as adopted by the HDC Leadership.
DeWeese is pushing for even more reforms right now.
Corbett will do the right things for the good of the commonwealth, justice, and future of Pennsylvanians.
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