Dennis Roddy with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette breaks an incredible story this evening regarding a raid by the Allegheny County District Attorney on Republican State Senator Jane Orie's district office and a grand jury investigation of her for illegal campaign work.The investigation, confirmed tonight by Jerry McDevitt, who is representing Ms. Orie, apparently began a day before the November election when an intern at the senator's district office in the North Hills complained to the district attorney's office that political calls were being made there on behalf of state Supreme Court nominee Joan Orie Melvin, the senator's sister.Just how serious is Corbett's investigation of Senate Republicans?
On Friday, detectives executed a search warrant at Ms. Orie's district office at the La Casa Blanca Building on McKnight Road. Earlier in the month, detectives had placed Ms. Orie's office under surveillance, Mr. McDevitt said. (Post Gazette 12/23/09)
If Orie was concerned about Corbett's probe, running operations for her sister's judicial campaign from her taxpayer funded office is no way to show it.
More incredibly, Corbett has three active grand juries investigating corruption, yet he is upstaged by the local district attorney and a county level grand jury!
Orie has been a long-time fan of Corbett and his handling of the investigation:
"As a former prosecutor, I understand it's extremely complicated and (the investigation) expands as he goes along," said Sen. Jane Orie, R-McCandless, a former assistant district attorney in Allegheny County. "I'm confident in (Corbett) and I think he has handled this well." (Tribune Review 8/12/09)No wonder!
We guess when she got word from Corbett that he wasn't peeking over one of her shoulders, she should have remembered to check for other law enforcement over the other.
Here at CasablancaPA, we never cease to be amazed at the rank hypocrisy of those in both parties. Orie's blatant disregard of the law puts this quote from a year ago in a much different light:
"I think we (Pennsylvania) are one of the worst," said Senate Majority Whip Jane Orie, a McCandless Republican and a former prosecutor. "I think when you look at the pay to play, gaming ... bonuses, we're in a culture, especially in the Legislature, where there was no reform and business as usual." (Tribune Review 12/21/08)
I love this neighborhood. Some of these broads are wearing my salary, and it was hard earned on campaign time during state time.
ReplyDeleteWho wants to work a livelong day, anyway on commonwealth work? For Joan had tempted fate, and fate had accepted.
Jane got to delay them! I've got to distract them! Hmm... Hmm...It's the teapot! Smash him!
After the Raid, Jane said,
Did the earth move, Darlings?
Staffers, No, but the dressing table twitched a few times.
I think what our insightful Team Casa is posting is that we welcome the inevitable seasons of a natural investigation, but we're upset by the seasons of our corruption.
ReplyDeleteLooks like working on state time and asking for money for Judicial Races to the Highest Court is spreading to the Senate and Judges, and not waiting for Corbett to get a around to it.
We can see Jane's and Joan's defense now..."What we did was for the good of the commonwealth but fortunately our country always manages to survive patriots like us.
There's going to be big, big, big trouuubbbllleee! Make that douuubbbblllleeee!
It's like the Republicans have created their own prison and now they have to exist in it
This is a Harrisburg kind of lie. It's when the other person knows you're lying and also knows you know he knows!
What a bunch of garbage; liberal, democrat, conservative, republican.
ReplyDeleteIt's all there to control you!
Two sides of the same coin.
Two management teams bidding for control, the CEO job of Slavery, Incorporated!
The truth is out there in front of you, but they lay out this buffet of lies.
I'm sick of it, and I'm not going to take a bite out of it, do you got me?
The Rebels Strike Back Before The Empire is Built By The New Emperor!
ReplyDeleteThe lust for rower consumes everyone. EVERYONE. Corbett is definitely selectively prosecuting public corruption. Linda Bebko Jones was expendable, Mauree Gingrich was not. Perzel made a nice scalp on the wall, Smith signed the contracts but has too much power yet to prosecute.
ReplyDeleteI remember Jane Orie sending 'citations' on the taxpayer dime with a note in the 'citation' that said, "not paid with tax dollars." Ironically, I heard that she sent them to a certain embattled legislator after his re-election loss.
ReplyDeleteA member of Jane's staff was seen politicking against a local politician in the 2009 election in a township in her Senate district. Her staff member was helping a Republican candidate even though the Democrat's family had always supported Sen. Orie.
ReplyDeleteKudos to Corbett for changing the political culture. State employees now know they can be held accountable for their actions, and aren't afraid to blow the whistle.
ReplyDeleteTwo years ago, would these employees have felt safe to drop the dime? Would the DA have even bothered to investigate?
Did Joan Orie Melvin know what her sister was doing for her?
ReplyDeleteI cannot imagine that the day before the election there was no communication between them.
"Anonymous said...Kudos to Corbett for changing the political culture. State employees now know they can be held accountable for their actions, and aren't afraid to blow the whistle.
ReplyDeleteTwo years ago, would these employees have felt safe to drop the dime? Would the DA have even bothered to investigate?
December 24, 2009 10:09 AM"
Sorry, buddy, Kudo's for
Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr.
His staff on direct evidence3 from an Intern caught Jane Orie doing work for her sister Judge Joan Orie Melvin that organized Republicans throughout the Commonwealth for all the other Republican Judges.
Kudo's To Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. to do what Republican Tom Corbett and the OAG Staff had no time to do, investigate Senate Republicans and Republican Judges even though had over 800 OAG employees.
This is just warming up, and will blowback on Corbett's run for Governor throughout 2010.
Eachus words are now Prophetic, "Anyone Who Has Created A Problem Should Face Justice."
The Chant is now Catch Corbett!
"stephen said...Did Joan Orie Melvin know what her sister was doing for her? I cannot imagine that the day before the election there was no communication between them. December 24, 2009 11:32 AM"
ReplyDeleteYou bet she did, and so did all the Republican Judges that won that day.
Unlike Tom Corbett’s OAG’s Runaway Grand Juries just relying on testimony, Allegheny District Attorney has far better Staffers that know how to collect evidence not just convicted felons to testify.
Investigators have film footage and eyewitness documentation along with computer data of organized Republicans Staffers working before and on Election Day on state time.
Phone records will connect the dots from each Republican Offices including the Office of the Attorney General.
In addition, the Computer Data has Statewide Date Base taken from Jane's Office will lead to other Judicial Candidates and Republicans Staffers working on State Time.
Oh my, the OAG Staffers have been up all night the day before Christmas!
Now remember, once an Investigator comes calling either from Local District Attorney's or Federal depending what has been discovered....you guys and gals at the OAG but not lie or say you cannot recall....that is Obstruction of Justice!
Soon those mice from the Capitol Dome have left dropping back to Strawberry Square.
Wait until one Staffer or Staff Lawyers start to ask for immunity, boy than Corbett and his Grand Jury Minions will have some explaining to do?
Now look out Jubelirer, Jubbah no longer lives in Blair County anymore, so Jubelirer is now within jurisdictions of Local District Attorney’s Grand Jury. In addition, this opens up past campaigns for Judges Offices just like Corbett Staff went way back to 2000 on Perzel and Veon. Therefore, Jubelirer’s wife campaign is fair game.
ReplyDeleteThis strikes at the Heart of Republican Power established by Richard King Mellon over 57 years ago, Republican Judicial Control, and the people that elected them, Republican Senators Offices.
Wait until the New US Attorney is appointted???????
When this all over Mike Veon is going to look like a saint!
ReplyDeleteAttorney General Tom Corbett is enduring scrutiny as he runs a probe of the Capitol while running for re-election.
ReplyDeleteHis name is Frank Fina. Unlike Corbett, Fina does not have long links to the Harrisburg political scene.
Frank Fina more than anything, he is not afraid of stepping on toes.
The concern some have about the probe of the Capitol is that it has focused largely on the House Democratic caucus.
Some Democrats worry that it will not reach into Republican offices in the House and Senate evenly because of Corbett's GOP ties and ambitions.
"Literally, the direction is: 'There's the Crimes Code. If someone's violating it, put it before the grand jury and see where it goes,'" he said.
"If someone is doing something they shouldn't be doing, he's not going to look away just because it's going to be ugly," Wilson said.
Interviews with Corbett's transition team, Fina offered his blunt opinion that the statewide grand juries were not being used to their full potential.
Fina bristles when commentators cite the investigation's emphasis on Democrats to date. He said he is not concerned about keeping score.
"There's no ledger for politics in the crimes code. ... Anybody who violated the law is going to get it," Fina said.
Welcome to Frank Fina's Fright World of Grand
Juries, Jane and Joan Orie!
Oh, by the way, the welcome mat may come to Tom Corbett's Staffers too, like Frank Fina??? Just a rumor!
My money is on Stephen A Zappala, Jr., education at the University of Pittsburgh, 1979 and his J.D., at Duquesne University School of Law.
ReplyDeleteVersus
Tom Corbett's education at Lebanon Valley College and his J.D. from St. Mary's University Law School in San Antonio, Texas.
Zappala went to a real Law School!
Don't worry fellow GOP'ers....The announcement by Alabama Rep. Parker Griffith that he is switching to the Republican Party is just the latest warning sign that the Democratic Party -- my lifelong political home -- has a critical decision to make:
ReplyDeleteEither we plot a more moderate, centrist course or risk electoral disaster not just in the upcoming midterms but in many elections to come.
Rep. Griffith's decision makes him the fifth centrist Democrat to either switch parties or announce plans to retire rather than stand for reelection in 2010.
These announcements are a sharp reversal from the progress the Democratic Party made starting in 2006 and continuing in 2008, when it reestablished itself as the nation's majority party for the first time in more than a decade.
But now they face a grim political fate.
On the one hand, centrist Democrats are being vilified by left-wing bloggers, pundits and partisan news outlets for not being sufficiently liberal, "true" Democrats.
On the other, Republicans are pounding them for their association with a party that seems to be advancing an agenda far to the left of most voters.
The political dangers of this situation could not be clearer.
Witness the losses in New Jersey and Virginia in this year's off-year elections. In those gubernatorial contests, the margin of victory was provided to Republicans by independents -- many of whom had voted for Obama. Just one year later, they had crossed back to the Republicans by 2-to-1 margins.
While it may be too late to avoid some losses in 2010, it is not too late to avoid the kind of rout that redraws the political map.
By William M. Daley
Thursday, December 24, 2009; A15
The writer was secretary of commerce in the Clinton administration and chairman of Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign.
"Anonymous said...A member of Jane's staff was seen politicking against a local politician in the 2009 election in a township in her Senate district. Her staff member was helping a Republican candidate even though the Democrat's family had always supported Sen. Orie.
ReplyDeleteDecember 24, 2009 9:45 AM"
God bless Photo Phones and video cameras located near schools and public governmental buildings and small tape recorders Interns can wear on their own.
"Anonymous said...The lust for rower consumes everyone. EVERYONE. Corbett is definitely selectively prosecuting public corruption. Linda Bebko Jones was expendable, Mauree Gingrich was not. Perzel made a nice scalp on the wall, Smith signed the contracts but has too much power yet to prosecute.
ReplyDeleteDecember 24, 2009 7:55 AM"
Perzel scalp has not been removed, he may be up for a close haircut, but he ain’t finished.
Perzel has his own knife and personal made TOMahawk and it ain't aimed at Democrats anymore.
Perzel ain't worried but the OAG should be, there is going to be a political blood letting the likes never seen since the days Goldwater and Rockefeller.
The time is coming when AG Corbeet may have to be offering an Al Het, a prayer said on Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement.
ReplyDeleteIt signifies a plea for forgiveness.
Anonymous said...Perzel made a nice scalp on the wall, Smith signed the contracts but has too much power yet to prosecute.
ReplyDeleteDecember 24, 2009 7:55 AM"
Forget about scalps at the AG Office anymore, it is now about runaway grand juries and someone at the AG Office is going to be a scapegoat, now who will that be?
Does anyone think someone at the AG Office crossed some lines, cut some corners, and may end up investigated in the end?
Any guesses?
ploding evidence within the media on Jane Orie and Judge Joan Orie, it is only fair the Veon, Cott, Rosepink-Peretta Trials be delayed.
ReplyDeleteThere may actually exculpatory Evidence within the phone Calls, Computer Data, Corbett's Campaign Manager/Chief of Staff changes from Campaign Time to State Time, and other evidence showing Grand Jury Misconduct by AG Prosecutors and Investigators.
Let us get to the Total Truth and nothing but the Total Truth. Fairness demands the Defendants and those charged be able to mount a proper defense and uncover any wrongdoing by Republicans connected to politically Appointed OAR Staffers.
This is no longer just a Corruption Probe it is Reckoning!
It will be great to see how Jane Orie knows so much on how great Corbett Investigations were doing, but will not know much when Zappala Grand Jury finds out what she knows?
ReplyDeletePlease for the sake of humanity, remove all hand guns from Republican Office Holders, lets stop suicides before they happen.
Breaking news.....Vegas just put odds out that Zappala Grand Jury and Investigation Team at 7 to 1will have their investigations finished in 3 months with far smaller ADA Staffers on Republican Senators and Republican Judges, versus Corbett's Four year investigation on Republican Senators and Judges, yet to begin
ReplyDeleteAny Bets on CorBETt?
I am a Republican, and we are not so forgetful or forgiving when it comes to removing Republican Corruption within our own ranks.
ReplyDeleteIn light of these revelations, I expect Attorney General Corbett to open immediate investigations with US Attorneys to end this shadow of deceit brought on by the Orie Sisters.
Every Judge that ran and won should be investigated for Campaigning on State Time.
Start with Campaign Donations from OAG Staffers to Judges and to Corbett.
Do not do what Democrats do, let us remove those that campaign on state time as soon as possible.
What a full employment stimulus for Criminal Lawyers.
ReplyDeletewhy would an investigation into orie be exculpatory to veon and cott AT ALL? were they in cahoots? if so i imagine veon would have thrown her under the bus with everyone else his pretrial motion tried to taint. veon and company have stalled their trial long enough. let us get this over with already!
ReplyDeleteI think you are wrong what she is saying in your picture blog of her breaking the law a tiny bit.
ReplyDeleteI think she is testifying under oath about the size of many republican Members Members!
just a guess!
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeletewhy would an investigation into orie be exculpatory to veon and cott AT ALL? were they in cahoots? if so i imagine veon would have thrown her under the bus with everyone else his pretrial motion tried to taint. veon and company have stalled their trial long enough. let us get this over with already!
December 24, 2009 5:33 PM
What the OAG has been doing to the Democrats is ignoring any and all evidence submitted by Defendants or their Lawyers. They do not have to do it by law, but most courts prefer they do it by ethics if possible when OAG staffers clearly know such evidence exists.
Also, once we see if any of Orie's files, phone calls, documents, campaign fundraising go to other Republicans on state time, and some with the OAG contributors, and seeing Republican Judges doing the same thing as Veon & Company without investigating the Republican Senators, Judges, and Campaign Staff....it is not just patently unfair, but could be with criminal intent to do so against Democrats.
Finally, remember the OAG took almost 4 years now on just House Members but have ignored the Senate so far.
The little Local ADA in Pittsburgh has done more in just six weeks with far less staffs and accumulated far more evidence.
This shows the OAG is using Runaway Grand Juries for political purposes the very thing Orie is complaining about it being political; if so the Republican OAG did time their investigations and trials for next years election and Corbett refuses to resign.
If the ADA can trace some of Orie operations back to OAG phone calls, fundraisers, and doing campaign work on the state time and dimes...well they will have to be indicted too, or drop the charges.
If not ethics violations for Prosecutors at the very least to outside investigation of the OAG to charges being dismissed on federal appeal or dropped charges by the OAG, or at least show bias, unfairness, and outright prosecution misconduct at trial by not following Due Process equally.
Anonymous said...why would an investigation into orie be exculpatory to veon and cott AT ALL? December 24, 2009 5:33 PM
ReplyDeleteIf I may add somethings.
I am surprised that the Veon Team did not take on the AG Corbett Team issue of how they acquired the evidence from the very start and was it legal and crossed lines of legislative privilege.
For example, In Orie Case her Attorney is challenging the District Attorney right to even acquires evidence.
When DA's Agents later sought and obtained boxes that centers on whether they are protected by legislative privilege.
The Second challenge from Orie's Attorney is fighting over how the range of challenges to the constitutionality of search warrants and evidence produced.
When Orie's represented Cyril Wecht there first defense against US Attorneys was on these very issues to the federal probe of Mr. Wecht, including surveillance.
Orie Lawyers are saying the DA leaves little doubt that the seizure, which included several computers and the office computer server, is illegal.
They claim they used a general search warrant for computers in this latest use of the District Attorney's powers against political foes.
However, this may be window dressing when Orie's said they were stunned to see that the DA Office would try the same techniques that proved very problematical in the Wecht case with which both of you were involved on such of using a sealed probable cause affidavit to obtain the warrant.
This could come in handy to quash the investigation before it gets started.
Moreover, could make sure that the DA's Grand Jury has 8 Hours of recorded Testimony from an Orie Senate Aide, to be quashed.
It is good legal planning but the testimony before the Grand Jury is now the bigger problem.
If Jane Orie and her Staffers have nothing to hide, why not go before the Grand Jury is what the media will ask now?
However, I think Orie's Lawyers are making a big mistake when they assert publicly that DA Zappala's is targeting Orie because she opposes an expansion of casino gambling in Pennsylvania.
This is going to go nowhere, but it is good smoke to take away the fires where Orie has to respond.
DA Zappala has handled it right when he retorted the smoke screen Orie's Attorney accusation is "posturing" and a diversion.
Where Orie's Lawyers are on shaky ground is when they said the boxes, likely contain routine legislative materials.
Well, if that is true, why worry about it?
The Orie Defense Team saying the DA's Staff started talking to everybody and they are lawyered up forced the later turning over the boxes.
In my opinion, I think the Veon Team should have challenged the Constitutionality of AG Corbett’s Team acquiring evidence from the start, which led to the Grand Juries. They should have been able to delay the investigation by challenging the right of the AG to go into the Legislative Branch and how it was turned over to the OAG.
This helps a great deal on Appeal Issues that could later remand or reverse the entire investigation or case.
Veon Lawyers unlike Orie’s Lawyers were not up on such challenges from what I can see, and one reason why Veon’s Trial should be delayed until some of these issues are resolved.
Here is what is laughable....Joan Orie Melvin could not be reached for comment.
ReplyDeleteYesterday, after a day of contemplating the situation, Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, and Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, R-Delaware, issued a brief statement:
Calling Ms. Orie "a trusted and respected member of our leadership team" and "a tireless advocate for reform."
Well, where were Scarnati and Pileggi when Jubelirer and Brightbill were running the Senate?
In fact, where was Jane Orie too??
Even more important, where has been the 800 employees of the Office of the Attorney General still waiting on starting an Investigation on the Senate Republicans of just 30 members???
I would think Tom Corbett can now welcome DA Zappala help in bring Jane Orie and her Staffers before the State Grand Juries within Days to reveal what they knew about Senate Campaigns on State Time now.
If not, the words of Orie's Attorney saying..."I was even more stunned to see that your (Zappala) office had again been involved in the procurement of a general search warrant for computers in this latest use of the District Attorney's powers against political foes,"
Seems quite empty WORDS in light of how much AG Tom Corbett went after House Members, but HAVE BEEN SO SLOW TO GO AFTER SENATE MEMBERS.
What needs to be done to speed this all up is let DA Zappala Team Grand Jury acquire all the evidence against all Senators and Staffers on doing Campaign on State Time.
At the same time, the OAG is prosecuting the House Members, after all this is another way to get after Tom Corbett's Friend guilt or innocence or participation of claims the OAG is doing against ANYONE THAT VIOLATES THE ELECTION CODE, Like OAG Frank Fina said, but not Senators???
If some of these Grand Jury Testimony from Republican Staffers end up on exposing Republican Lawmakers in the Senate well it will confirm what DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL TONY KRASTEK said in the Ramaley Trial in his closing....POLITICS IS A DIRTY BUSINESS????
If that is true, then it means someone of courage with competence must investigate the Pennsylvania Senate like DA Zappala is doing and it is good he followed the evidence that Judges Campaigns were alleged centered on Senate Republican Offices.
Kudo's for DA Zappala helping AG Corbett investigate the Senate that Corbett did not do to date.
Other DA Offices such as Philadelphia should do the same thing.
Let us find the underlying cause of everything.
Some Questions That Need Asked, Investigated, And Reported:
ReplyDeleteHas anyone looked at how Frank Fina spent time at Columbia and Frank Demody is an Alumnus of Columbia?
Or
Has anyone looked into how close Tony Krastek worked with Frank Dermody as fellow Assistants District Attorneys together way back when they started out on legal careers?
Or
Has anyone seen the Veon Pre-Trial Motions Exhibits put out on Frank Dermody?
Or
Does anyone know why the Philadelphia District Attorney Office never investigated Election Campaigning on State Time while the Allegheny County is doing it?
Alternatively, Could there be a connection that Attorney General Corbett’s daughter Katherine is working as an Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia.
Some Conclusions:
Did Tom Corbett daughter, Katherine Corbett get her job due to Dirty Politics?
Did Frank Dermody get his first job due to Dirty Politics?
Did Tony Krastek get his job due to Dirty Politics?
Did Frank Fina get his job due to Dirty Politics?
Are all these Dirty Political appointee working together against other Dirty Political Elected officials?
And
If All Politics Is a Dirty Business, does that, include Tony Krastek Boss ELECTED Attorney General TOM CORBETT ??????
Anonymous said...Other DA Offices such as Philadelphia should do the same thing. Let us find the underlying cause of everything.
ReplyDeleteDecember 25, 2009 3:12 PM
What if some of documents, phone records, or computer fundraising implicates Tom Corbett and his Deputy Assistant Attorneys and OAG Staffers and Investigators on taking calls, giving money, to these Republicans Judicial Candidates on State Time?
I mean, if you are right about Local District Attorneys such as Philadelphia begin such investigations then.....
How can Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney Katherine Corbett investigate her own Father's Office ?
This is going to get very messy before any clean up now.
There are just too many Politicians with their friends and family involved in Politics and if all Politics is a Dirty Business, are they all not dirty???
I got to tell you, the more I read on CasablancaPA and then read the Presentments then se the changes in State Government with OAG never going after obvious connections to their own friends, alumni, and former colleagues....I THINK VEON, COT, AND ROSEPINK PERETTA LIKE RAMALEY ARE VICTIMS OF A WITCH HUNT AND SILENT COUP IN CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP.
Something is starting to stink and it is coming from the Office of the Attorney General and Corbett's own Home and Fina's school, and Krastek's close friend Frank Dermody.
I very foul smell equal to fumo fumes!
Here is an idea if phone calls can be traced to OAG's Deputy Attorney Generals and Staffers on State Time if revealed in the Orie Grand Jury Investigations.
ReplyDeleteWhy not call Tom Corbett, Frank Fina, and Tony Krastek and other Staffers and have them testify to satisfy they were not using doing Campaign Work on State Time?
Heck, the should volunteer to testify, because they are so clean are they not?
Any bets any of them take the fifth and hire lawyers?
One more thing, can the Press and Honest citizens acquire Phone records of the OAG and Senate and Judges running for higher office and Campaign Offices under the new Open Records Law ?
I would love someone to do reverse Phone Calls searches or will we find some of phone calls deleted
OOPS-OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE BY JUSTICE!
A coup? All defenses you provide affirm their guilt. They should be set free because other people may have done the same thing.
ReplyDeleteEven team casa admits that veon cott and rosepink committed these crimes against taxpayers. This will be a short trial.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteA coup? All defenses you provide affirm their guilt. They should be set free because other people may have done the same thing.
Even team casa admits that veon cott and rosepink committed these crimes against taxpayers. This will be a short trial.
December 26, 2009 10:24 AM
Sorry, I do not buy it anymore, Veon, Cott, and Rosepink were doing the jobs, as they knew them and became the custom for many years.
Everyone is State Government was doing the same thing and if some of those practices needed to be reformed than it should have been done with ethical violations primarily.
If the OAG wants to label such practices as crimes than indict everyone and quit playing the political game we go were Grand juries takes us, if so Zappala has to go after the Republicans Senators and Judges, something Corbett's OAG has been slow to do to none.
I respect your opinions and it maybe is right and those practices are illegal, but they were not intentional crimes and Veon, Cott, and Rosepink deserve a fair treatment as all others.
If not, than most of the Republican Senate and any Judges doing politics on state time must be arrested, charged, and tried in a curt of law too. This may include people at the OAG as well.
anything less is a witchhunt political coup!
What is exceptional is how long the OAG avoided his own political party investigations while running for Governor.
ReplyDeleteNow the Republicans are caught red-handed doing campaigning for State Judges on State Time DURING THE CAMPAIGNING ON STATE TIME INVESTIGATIONS BY THE PA OAG.
Yet, not word from AG Corbett?
Dead Silence not a word.
Where is Frank Fina, where is this new Public Corruption Unit Corbett created months ago?
Why no Republican Judicial Candidates and now Judges to be sworn in less than a week, being question by Corbett's Public Corruption Unit?
If Corbett was, fair, sincere, and truly after Public Corruption, he now has enough evidence to haul these Candidates before the Grand Jury and start asking them questions before they tak office.
But only silence on the Jane Orie Senate republican campaigning scandal and a do nothing Frank Fina.
Zappala has opened the floodgates on Republican Senators working on State Time for Campaign for their Republican Judges, but only Corbett's OAG is underwater now!
Corbett’s boys blew it, it is dirty, wrong, and now that they demand the arrest and trails for anyone working on state time for campaigns, they have to look at themselves too.
It will all come out in 2010 and nothing can stop it now.
Corbett is toast; so long, he gives passes to his friends, colleagues, and political power brokers within the Republican Party!
Corbett is no longer a Hypocrite he is starting to look like a criminal.
Jane Orie Staffers will not lie for her, and this scandal will be bigger than Bonusgate.
ReplyDeleteThe Judges may be arrested right after they are sworn in if the Grand Jury evidence leads as Frank Fina says go after the ones the Grand Jury presents as violations of the election laws.
This now includes Senate Republicans that AG Corbett and his OAG Staffers did not do anything about right under their noses when they claim they were smelling out Public Corruption.
They were not smelling anything but their state time corruption cooking of their own!
This bigger than anything they can handlle now.
Anonymous said...A coup? All defenses you provide affirm their guilt. They should be set free because other people may have done the same thing....December 26, 2009 10:24 AM
ReplyDeleteI am with you but I want it to spread not defend.
Time to bring Corbett's OAG before a Grand Jury too, and find out why no investigations were going on against Senate Republicans and Republican Judges.
This not just a Cott, Veon and Rosepink thing and they have no defenses as you point out, but neither should others escape, and Corbett is avoiding his political friends and that is more wrong and troubling now
From all I have been reading, I truly believe Corbett and some of his staffers are going to be led away in handcuffs someday soon.
ReplyDeleteThis is now stinking far beyond what anyone knew before it all began.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteSome Questions That Need Asked, Investigated, And Reported:
Has anyone looked at how Frank Fina spent time at Columbia and Frank Demody is an Alumnus of Columbia?
Has anyone looked into how close Tony Krastek worked with Frank Dermody as fellow Assistants District Attorneys together way back when they started out on legal careers?
Has anyone seen the Veon Pre-Trial Motions Exhibits put out on Frank Dermody?
Does anyone know why the Philadelphia District Attorney Office never investigated Election Campaigning on State Time while the Allegheny County is doing it?
Alternatively, Could there be a connection that Attorney General Corbett’s daughter Katherine is working as an Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia?
Did Tom Corbett daughter, Katherine Corbett get her job due to Dirty Politics?
December 25, 2009 3:26 PM
All good questions for an AG Corbett Pres Conference to answer and explain to the Public.
Some more questions did anyone at the OAG and Corbett himself contribute to any of the Judicial Campaigns, Grand Jury Target Senator Jane Orie and her Staffers were working on State Time?
How is it, Tom Corbett and his Public Corruption Unit permitting such corruption while claiming to be investigating such corruption?
Now that this Senate-Judicial Corruption Connection has been exposed, why is the OAG taking so long to investigate and stop any evidence from being destroyed?
I think we are going to get more answers from Zappala than Corbett, especially if Corbett lawyers up for his own protection.
The AG Public Corruption Unit should name be changed to The AG Private Eunuch Unit!
ReplyDeleteThey seem incapable of finding Public Corruption within the Republican Senate Judicial relationship.
Finally, one good man stands up in Steve Zappala.
You know you have to wonder why the senate that sometimes appoints judges never was investigated by Corbett over 4 years now?
ReplyDeleteI think Jane Orie behavior and running to Attorneys to save herself proves she is guilty.
Jane Orie always said there is no reason to hide behind Attorneys when you are doing the right thing or reforms.
Guess she lawyered up now, her dear sister too, bet there was a big fight at Christmas in the Orie House.
Time to liquor up now too, too much egg nog on their faces today.
A CHRISTMAS OF PRESENTMENTS!
"Anonymous said...why would an investigation into orie be exculpatory to veon and cott AT ALL? were they in cahoots? December 24, 2009 5:33 PM"
ReplyDeleteIt is clear Orie and Veon were not in cahoots, one was investigated by a Republican AG and now one is being investigated by a Democratic DA.
Orie's Lawyer says it is a political prosecution for political purposes, but was an Orie Intern that turned Orie in, all Zappala did is follow the evidence where the Grand Jury is leading him.
Just like the complaint, Corbett was given to investigate the House Democrats.
Corbett and Orie may have been CAHOOTS since Corbett never investigated the 30 Senators in the Republican Senate Caucus that appoints Judges and now caught working on Campaigns.
We will know soon, the Grand Jury in Pittsburgh is now following the evidence that Corbett's Public Corruption Units could not find!
One thing about pious Republicans they never vote back any candidate tainted with scandal, greed, or family promotion of family candidates.
ReplyDeleteJust look what happen to Jubelirer and Brightbill.
Orie is white toast and her sister Joan Orie Melvin will be the butter that does them both in, once it is fully investigated.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteA coup? All defenses you provide affirm their guilt. They should be set free because other people may have done the same thing.
You are dead on right, but it looks republicans did the same thing, and corbett was covering it up, or at least refusing to investigate his own party, except for perzel.
now we can investigate corbett on why too and like you say, how will corbett defend himself.
Does anyone think Fina and Krastek worked together to put their friend Dermody into Democratic Leadership by Grand Jury Misconduct?
ReplyDeleteThe probe into Ms. Orie, however, comes from a county-level grand jury unconnected with Mr. Corbett's probe.
ReplyDeleteWhile grand jurors in the state cases, known broadly as Bonusgate, have met in Harrisburg and Downtown Pittsburgh, the grand jury investigating Ms. Orie sits in a municipal building in Dormont.
I think the Grand Jury in Dormont will connect with Corbett but through implication not exoneration.
I bet Frank Fina never thought the use of the Grand Jury Tradition may end up in engulfing many of Corbett’s political friends into Extraditions!
ReplyDeleteOh, Kenneth Starr, where art thou now?
ReplyDeleteOh, Ernie Preate was has thou create?
Oh, Corbett career is it now an obit?
The Poet
CORBETT CALL ME MR. IN-BETWEEN
ReplyDeleteTOMMY In-Between,
TOMMY. In-Between convictions mighty lean,
TOMMY In-Between
Well, I'm too old to investigate my republican senators
I've looked all around and my hopes are a-dimmin'
I feel like a fish not allowed any swimmin'
And it makes a pretty fella like me mighty mean
To feel he's a part of the Lost Generation
I feel like a choo-choo that can't find the station
I let my work be my campaignin
They call me TOMMY In-Between
Got hotshots corruption with strange operations
And I know krastek he's my real sharp operator
And he's already lost but is Dermody related
You see what I mean
Those sweet little investigations just set me a-droolin'
I'm too big to look into judicial campaigns schoolin'
Too friendly in lovin jubelirer foolin'
But I'm too close since I did his campaign thinkin
They call me Mr. In-Between
Tommy In-Between,
Tommy. In-Between investigations mighty lean,
Tommy In-Between
I feel like a sailboat kept in a bottle
I feel like an engineer that can't find the throttle
I'm too small to walk tall
And I'm too big without balls
And, Lordy, I'm turnin' my campaign ain't raising green
To see all my friends makin' time with the political ladies
I wish I could clean up my own party’s degradation
While I run around like a dog with the rabies
They call me Tommy. In-Between
Well, now Orie operations
Are going to kill my investigations
Now no one will do any cooperation’s
And I lookin migthy implicated
This is why I am Tommy In-Between!
Elected officials must follow code
ReplyDeleteEvery municipality in Pennsylvania receives its power from the state.
A borough has no power that has not been specifically given to it by the state.
This power is spelled out in the Borough Code and Pennsylvania Constitution.
Another document, the Pennsylvania Public Officials and Employee Ethics Act, binds elected officials and government employees to specific standards of conduct.
Whether you and like it, these are law.
Elected officials take an oath to uphold the laws of the commonwealth.
This may be difficult if past practice and not the law has governed decision-making.
Classes for elected officials, offered through the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs and Local Government Academy, are very beneficial for the elected public servant.
The borough code makes it clear as to what is appropriate from powers, duties and rights of elected officials, appointed officers and employees, to taxation, finance, proper use of the taxpayers' dollars, recreation and ordinance enforcement.
The elected, appointed, and employed are bound by the code.
Be aware, if elected officials are called to task by a taxpayer for an expenditure not authorized in the borough code and it is proven that this was improper use of taxpayer money, each elected official voting for the expenditure can be surcharged.
Education is the key.
John Wolbert
Beaver
Editor's note: The writer is a member of Beaver Council.
http://sightsonpennsylvania.blogspot.com/2009/12/eachus-memo-surfaces-amid-allegations.html
ReplyDeletePITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
ReplyDeleteSister's use of Orie office for election denied
By Brad Bumsted and Debra Erdley
(excerpt)
Orie wasn't the only Senate Republican leader tied to Melvin's campaign.
"I think I was chair of her campaign ... maybe just the fundraising chair," said Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson County. "She worked the commonwealth as hard as any statewide candidate I have ever seen. She was even in my rural district. She earned the voters' trust and respect."
--------------------------------
woops,I hope Joe "I think I was chair of her campaign" Scarnati did not leave an email trail he now regrets. Same for Jubelirer.
The Republicans may actually dump on Corbett before all this through and let him be the scapegoat.
ReplyDeleteCorbett's Campaign Teams did the exact same things his OAG Staffers are claiming of of theLegislature and Senate.
Corbett is dirty and a pawn of Waste Management, in the words of Mr. Big from on the Water Front Movie, If Johnny Friendly calls, I am not in, the same thing will happen to Corbbet and it is happening now.
Hopefully Zappala will check Sen Ward's computers too - rumor is that she's been very busy politicing. Santa says that is very naughty out of the state offices.
ReplyDelete