NUTT'S SPIN

Today, Congressman Jim Gerlach ratcheted up the heat on partisan Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett today by calling on Corbett to give up his gubernatorial effort if he intends to continue with his bonusgate investigation.

Remember, we're all waiting for the Republican charges Corbett has promised are going to "shock the conscience."

Here at CasablancaPa, we are really enjoying the spin that tax-payer funded Corbett political operative Brian Nutt is spouting today:

“We all expected better from Jim Gerlach. Clearly he is trying to take a page from John Morganelli’s unsuccessful playbook from last year, a tactic that voters clearly saw through when they re-elected Tom Corbett with more votes than any Republican candidate in Pennsylvania history. Pennsylvania families can be assured that Tom Corbett will continue to diligently fight corruption, fraud and waste no matter where it is found.” -- Capitolwire 8/19/09

There are two things that stick out in Nutt's spin.

First, Nutt is right that Gerlach is echoing Morganelli. And, yes, it would appear through the ballot box that voters were giving Corbett the benefit of the doubt when it came to his conduct of the bonusgate investigation...at that time.

Now, over a year since Corbett arrested only Democrats, it is disingenous for Corbett to say he is above reproach even though he still hasn't indicted any Republicans. Everyone has been waiting for Corbett to drop the other proverbial (and "shocking") shoe.

Second, it is very important to note that up until this week, Corbett has said repeatedly that the investigation is on-going and that he expected to bring more charges. In his statement today, Nutt doesn't follow that line. Rather, Nutt doesn't promise indictments. Instead, Nutt is follwing Corbett's new (and troubling) bonusgate message from earlier this week when Corbett said to his guests at his fundraiser in Williamsport as reported by the Williamsport Gazette:

"Corbett, who has come under criticism for failing to prosecute Republicans while going after House Democrats in the so-called "Bonusgate Scandal," said he never promised to pursue members of his own party. "What I have vowed to do is complete the investigation," he said. "I'm not worrying about the issue of partisanship." -- 8/18/09

Corbett's investigation is off the rails and, in the words of Republican Senator Eichelberger, "a joke." At best, Corbett is likely to indict some low-hanging Republican fruit like former Rep. Matt Wright or former Rep. Brett Feese.

Here at CasablancaPa, we are still very skeptical that Corbett will live up to his promise of a "shocking" set of indictments...Perzel, Preski, Hanley, Jubelirer, Brightbill, Long, O'Berry, Crompton.