Sometimes, if you allegedly use state resources for campaigning, you're indicted on a boatload of felony charges.
Sometimes, you just get a huge advantage for your various statewide campaigns.
Sometimes, you're fined $10,000 and no charges are recommended.
Who's to know who will end up with what? It's a crapshoot!
The State Ethics Commission's ruling on Matt Wright is a slightly altered reissue of the grand jury presentment against Mike Veon - minus the 50 or so felony charges.
Then again, we've seen such disparity before. There was virtually no difference in the ethics ruling against Jim Lynch and that against Jeff Habay. Yet only Habay faced criminal charges; Lynch was fined less than $5,400.
It all depends upon who's running for what and how badly they need a high-profile prosecution to shore up their campaigns.
32 comments:
anyone heard from Lily Lempicka lately?
Sometimes it's a crapshoot, and shometimes it's just crap.
There may be some truth to the theory that an organization rivaled the sanctity of THE Democratic Party and THE Republican Party in Pennsylvania.
Of course, NO ONE in either of those houses ever campaigned on the taxpayer's dime. NEVER. NOT EVER.
Veon and Keefer are the Rats who've been leaving turds all over the capitol. It's not just the cafeteria. All this hypocrisy crap makes for sexy news, but at the end of the day they broke the law. Doesn't matter one bit who else did it too. YOU did it and now YOU pay. Remember, everytime you point your finger, there are always three pointing right back at you. Be a man. You know damn well that you would have severed all ties with the accused had it been someone else instead of you. Veon claims to be such a helper of people and a fighter for the little guy. Yet, he continues to smear the whole institution to point out the "hypocrasies." Where do you think the little guy will get his help with the legislature in shambles? Local gov't? Nope, you're dropping rat turds on them too. Sit down, shut up, and do your time quietly. You earned it.
Casa is getting boring. We get it. Life isn't fair. Boo Hoo. Don't know why I've wased so much time reading this blog. Its the same thing every post. Your hit count is about to go down by one. Watch out for your cornhole. Goodbye.
casa just start posting the INFO thats not yet been reported... ec. start posting about TE that would make it interesting.. i find so much humor in this... like for instance the Rep. McCall leaving office to be with his family.. yea ok.. your father was a rep. you get elected into his seat work your way up through the years get into leader ship become speaker then not even 2 years in you all of a sudden decide to retire... so tell us what are you worried about.. is it maybe what mr. dewesse may know and say when veon puts him on the stand or is it something that PJ maybe gave up about you.... hmmmm just something to think about..... there are so many chases like this... they are all dirty .. hell most still do the shady stuff.. a lot of people will be eatting there words when this is over with..... and MOST of them are the one talking in the capital building.. i know if i was a state rep i would be very worried... because THEY all are in the wrong!!! good luck fellas and god bless Mike.....
Despite what it may seem like at times, there are many of us pulling for you guys.
Good luck on Monday. Give em hell.
and in the end the hit the people take is equal to the hypocrisy their "leaders" make.
Tom Corbett never cared for the little guy.
Mike Veon obviously cared for the little guy when he voted himself a $35,000 pay raise, and then called it "peanuts"...the average household income in PA is around $40k...nice one, man of the people...enjoy your upcoming "vacation."
Wall Street and Waste Management, big Oil, big interests, Milkin, Bilkin, & Madoff...all those phoney fatcats doing the bidding of the corporate thieves and you're bitchin about a 35,000 pay-hike...Tom Corbett got more than 85,000 from organized gambling contributions alone in one year. Now, that's way nore than the average Pennsylvanian makes on unemployment.
Was Jesus a sailor when he walked upon the water?
corbett also received hundreds of thousands from the same republicans he is supposedly investigating...
also, he had campaign staff in the courtroom today... hmmmm... anyone still wonder what this trial is all about???
Corbett fills campaign staff roster
He's not yet a candidate officially, but Attorney General Tom Corbett has rounded out his campaign team roster for the 2010 governor's race.
In a letter to Republican state committee members, Corbett announced ten more top members of his campaign staff - all veterans of Republican campaigns in Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
They are:
Returnees include Brian Nutt who's back as Corbett's campaign manager. He served as campaign manager in Corbett's succcessful bids for attorney general in 2004 and 2008 and Nan McLaughlin, who served as senior advisor in 2004 and 2008 and returns as finance advisor. Also John Brabender, of Brabender Cox, returns as media advisor and Lynda Bowman re-joins Team Corbett as comptroller.
Leslie Gromis Baker, who served as campaign manager for Gov. Tom Ridge's re-election campaign in 1998, signs on as senior advisor and Brian Tringali of the Tarrance Group will serve as pollster for the campaign.
David James of FLS connect (former head of the Republican Committee of Chester County) will serve as strategic advisor for voter contact
Other members of the finance team include Amy Petraglia and Carey Dunn Siriani and Kristin Clark Corrigan.
On board since March are Bob Asher and Jack Barbour as general co-chairman for Corbett's exploratory committee, C. Alan Walker and Christine Toretti as finance committee chairs, William Sasso and Peter Barcz as chairman and treasurer respectively of the Political Action Committee and Hon. Sandra Schultz Newman as honorary chairwoman of the committee.
Corbett gave no indication of an announcement date, saying only to expect more about his "intentions for seeking the Republican party endorsement and nomination" in the months ahead.
It's more than a crap shoot. It's a travesty and a gross politicization of the administration of justice. Corbett is not fit to be dog catcher.
Anonymous said...
All this hypocrisy crap makes for sexy news, but at the end of the day they broke the law. Doesn't matter one bit who else did it too.
January 31, 2010 11:49 AM
Laws as defined by the OAG and carefully selected TARGETS, and avoiding their friends and the senate, is not broken Laws, but Tyranny.
Lawyers made a Big Mistake claiming DeWeese was the Ring Leaders on Bonusgate payouts.
Saying someone else broke the law while Veon was directing the Campaigns and approved the Bonuses, does not exonerate Veon.
Manzo was very capable of saying otherwise and I doubt Veon Lawyers can break him on Cross.
When you make up Opening Statements without facts or evidence, the jury remembers, and it seldom to never explains your own clients charges.
Veon will be convicted now!
It would appear that Lady Justice is wearing seamed stockings (and she has a runner) Don't tell anyone, maybe, no one will notice.
travesty, mockery? IT IS CONTEMPTIBLE. But, then, what should you expect from Pennsylvania; didn,t the Keystone Kops originate there?
I agree about Mike Veon's lawyers made an error.
Also, from what I am reading, Manzo is confirming that Bill DeWeese was not involved in any day to day activity on Campaigns on State Time.
Furthermore, Manzo has admitted under oath that he managed these Campaigns and told Kevin Sidella what to do, not DeWeese.
So, you have to wonder why DeWeese was charged at all, when the people hired by Manzo were taking Manzo orders not DeWeeses'.
My conclusion from what I read on Twitter about the Trial is that DeWeese was working on the Democratic Agenda, but Veon and Manzo was running were running the Campaigns, and kept DeWeese in the dark on most details and later fired for it.
Still, this whole Political Campaign Witch-Hunt is for Corbett's Election for Governor, and most of these were ethical violations not criminal intent to violate laws on purpose.
It is a Coup to change Leadership by charges not facts and evidence that crimes were intended and occurred.
Hope all found Not Guilty for this political power grab by prosecutions.
HARRISBURG — In another dust-up between state prosecutors and defense lawyers for ex-Democratic Whip Mike Veon, prosecutors today complained privately to a judge about defense attorney Dan Raynak's comments to news media about documents that were not admitted at trial.
The documents concerned the state's top prosecutor, Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett.
Attorneys can't go outside the courtroom and talk about evidence that was not admitted, said Senior Deputy Attorney General Marc Costanzo. That is "a potential violation of our rules of professional conduct," he said.
The issue surfaced at a conference with Dauphin County Judge Richard Lewis before the lunch break.
The only phrase observers could hear in the courtroom was "rules of professional conduct" and a reference to Raynak normally practicing law in Arizona.
Raynak had little to say afterward, other than "nothing's changed."
The judge advised the attorneys to abide by the rules governing lawyer discipline, Costanzo said.
Raynak, an aggressive litigator, has clashed periodically with Corbett's deputies at the trial of Veon, 53, formerly of Beaver falls, who is accused of using public resources in campaigns.
The state's chief witness, former top Democratic staffer Michael Manzo, claims Veon approved state-paid bonuses used as incentive to get legislative staffers to volunteer on campaigns.
The trial is in its third day.
On Monday, during his opening statement, Raynak flashed a document on a large screen purporting to show Corbett's calls on a campaign cell phone to his state office — which is not illegal. Lewis ruled it was irrelevant and didn't allow him to use it.
Raynak later commented to reporters outside the courtroon that Corbett himself was engaged in politics.
Corbett has said he carries two cell phones, one for state business and the other for campaign matters.
One defense contention is that Corbett, as a candidate for governor, is prosecuting Democrats to increase his standing with voters in an election year.
THIS IS OUTRIGHT LAUGHABLE, VEON'S LAWYERS THROUGH PRO HOC VICE HAS A RIGHT TO REPRESENT VEON AS HIS CHOSEN LEGAL COUNSEL.
FIRST, SO RIGHT THERE THE OAG STAFF LAWYERS ONCE AGAIN DO NOT KNOW THE LAW OR RULES ON LAWYERS CONDUCT.
SECOND, VEON'S LAWYERS AREC ALLOW PRESENTING ANYTHING THEY FOUND IN THEIR INVESTIGATION TO THE MEDIA UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT, EVEN IF NOT ADMITTED IN EVIDENCE. THERE IS NO VIOLATION OF ANY LAWYER'S MISCONDUCT THERE WHATSOEVER.
THE MEDIA CAN FOLLOW UP ON ANYTHING BY ANYBODY ABOUT POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS ANYTIME ESPECIALLY IF THE OAG STAFEFRS DID IT. JUST BECAUSE IT IS INADMISSAL IN A COURT OF LAW DOES NOT MAKE IT ILLEGAL OR VIOLATIONS OF LAWYERS RULES OF CONDUCT FOR PUBLIC ACCESS, ESPECIALLY SINCE TOM CORBETT IS RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.
THIRD, THE WAY THE GRAND JURY WAS HANDLED AND CONDUCTED BY THE OAG STAFF LAWYERS IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED FOR ATTORNEY MISCONDUCT.
CLEARLY, CORBETT AND HIS OAG CAMPAIGN STAFFERS ARE WORRIED ABOUT PROSECUTION LAWYERS MISCONDUCT AND THE OAG LAWYERS DO NOT HAVE A CLUE ON WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT ATTORNEY MISCONDUCT.
THE BLIND CAMPAIGN OAG POLITICAL STAFFERS LEADING THE BLIND PROFESSIONAL PROSECUTORS ON CAMPAIGNING ON STATE TIME, AND NOW CRYING ABOUT OTHERS ATTORNEYS NOT FOLLOWING CODE OF CONDUCT RULES, WHEN THE OAG IGNORES THEM????
WHAT THE OAG PROFESSIONAL PROSECUTORS ARE GOING TO FIND OUT SOON, IS THE CORBETT'S POLITICAL CAMPAIGN STAFFERS HAVE PUT THEM IN HARMS WAY FOR LATER DISCIPLINE BY THE PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT, NO MATTER WHAT OUTCOME AT TRIAL.
If you cannot win at the Ballot Box the Hearts and Minds of the Voters, then Prosecute your Political Opponents!
Republican action in Colorado, Miami, Tennessee and now Pennsylvania.
Pa. corruption trial takes an unexpected turn
By MARK SCOLFORO
Associated Press Writer
February 04, 2010 1:45 PMHARRISBURG (AP) — Testimony was suspended Thursday on the fourth day of the public corruption trial of former state Rep. Mike Veon after defense attorneys contended a key witness falsely described his earlier statements and prosecutors may have known it.
Breaking news from AP more bad news for Corbett.
Senior deputy attorney general Marc Costanzo dismissed the defense tactic as theatrics:
“People do that in trials, and people do that in courtrooms that are full of media. And we’ll just work through it.”
YEAH, AG TOM CORBETT'S GUIDED GRAND JURY PRESENTMENTS ARE WRITTEN FOR SENSATIONALISM FOR THE PUBLIC AND MEDIA, INSTEAD OF GETTING TO THE REAL TRUTHS, AND THE OAG STAFF LAWYERS ARE NOW UPSET THEY ARE EXPOSED BEFORE THE MEDIA FOR THEIR SHODDY WORK?
WHAT HYPOCRITES AND WHEN ALL OF THE TRUTH COMES OUT; THEY WILL SEE HOW BADLY CORBETT'S CAMPAIGN STAFFERS ENGINEERED THIS FOR HIS GOVERNOR CAMPAIGN NOT THE FULL TRUTH AT ALL.
GOOD TO SEE OAG ATTORNEYS NOW CRYING ABOUT THE MEDIA NOW THAT THEY CANNOT HIDE FROM WHAT THEY DID AT THE GRAND JURY IN JUST SEEKING PUBLICITY TO BRING CHARGES NOT FIND THE TRUTH.
CORBETT’S PROFESSIONAL PROSECUTORS ARE FINDING OUT CORBETT’S PROFESSIONAL CAMPAIGN STAFF IS ACTUALLY WORKING AGAINST CORBETT’S CHANCES TO BE GOVERNOR.
After watching on what happen at the trial today.
Anyone with any kind of keen insight with a sense of justice can see why the OAG is having big trouble with these political cases.
It starts at the top, anybody being called a Tom or Tommy is a description of a Kid walking around with a Candy Lolly Pop in his mouth.
Now if Tommy Corbett had been called Thomas by his family, colleagues, and peers, it denotes a true Professional dedicated to his job to make sure things are done right.
Tommy Corbett is hurting his Professional Staff reputations and this whole investigation has been conducted like Kids not Adults.
Except when you try to imprison someone and ruin political careers by shoddy justice, it hurts other people, and it ends up hurting oneself too.
Tommy Corbett public service days are near an end and he should be working at Waste Management again.
hey' Manzo: Sometimes when you have a set of boobs on your mind. ..you can't remember things...just ask Melissa Franelli!!!
AG intimidation breaking news story coming soon to a newspaper near you, is Corbett at witts end? Could you be more unprofessional? I'm sure the State Republican Cmmt character assassinators are already starting to whip up a great defense of the loose cannon Tommy C. Lies, threats and scare tactics its the new calling card of the OAG.
I heard the AG Office has held back information very relevant to the Veon Lawyers case on Manzo Cross Examination.
Manzo refused to remember or has a very selective memory that comes on for the Prosecutors but turns off to remembering the truth for the Veon Lawyers?
Well boys lawyer up, because the OAG knew the Bonus money paid to Ms. Franelli as directed by her Man, Mikey Manzo, went to augment her personality, confidence, and public appearance in the form of Breast Enhancement.
Yes folks you heard it right, the AG Corbett kept that evidence from Veon Lawyers needed to impeach Manzo.
Manzo and only Manzo used State Bonus Money to give to Melissa Franelli for her Bigger Boob job.
Now that is an infraction of Attorney and Prosecution violation of ethics and criminal violation.
Don't believe us, call Mellissa under oath, check her Bonus money, then interview the plastic surgeon.
Manzo cannot hide from it, and the OAG should have never hidden it from Veon's Lawyers.
Manzo was using the State Treasury as his personal private love boat and when caught blamed Veon and DeWeese.
Gentlemen, we have a media explosion here.
From Bonusgate to Bonergate to Boobgate!
So much material, so little time!
The record is now clear.
Mike Manzo was doing many for his private gain, income, and personal power including misusing staff, sexual favors in retirn for jobs and bonuses and he did it behind teh backs of Mike Veon and Bill DeWeese.
What is unfortunate is that good people such as Cott, Rosepink, and Keefer at Trial and the other Defendants that pleaded Guilty, are paying the consequences of Manzo' Greed, and Needs.
It is one thing to step on your subordinates and induce others looking to be part of governmnet services, but it is another to back stab your bosses, not by testimony, but by personal failures and then blame others.
Mike Manzo has proven to be perhaps the biggest mistake the Democrats ever made and no Republican could ever hurt the Democrats better.
The Defense has enough to win on Appeal right now, and I hope the Jury sees through Manzo's not being a Man, but the reason why most Bonusgate Charges were brought against the HDC.
Brett Cott should walk from these charges and he owes it all to Walk!
It is a shame he was put through it just for doing his job.
Defense in Bonusgate trial questions calls from Tom Corbett's campaign phones to state phones
By MATTHEW KEMENY,
The Patriot-News
February 05, 2010, 5:33PMAt the heart of the Bonusgate corruption trial, is the accusation that state employees did campaign work on the taxpayers’ dime.
Attorneys for one of the Bonusgate defendants suggested as much Monday when they displayed a list before a Dauphin County jury that showed calls that appeared to have been made from Corbett’s campaign phones to state phones at the attorney general’s office and phones issued to its staff.
A full list provided to The Patriot-News shows hundreds of calls that were apparently made between campaign phones and state phones between August 2007 and November 2008, when Corbett was running for re-election. The list indicates the calls were made at times throughout the day and week.
Nevertheless, the move reflects the bare-knuckled atmosphere of the case that was triggered three years ago when The Patriot-News uncovered that millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded bonuses were secretly handed out to legislative employees, possibly for political work.
What was discussed during those calls — whether state business or campaign matters — is unknown, but the calls were apparently made when his office was investigating Bonusgate.
“The number of calls would seem to suggest reason for concern,” said Zach Stalberg, president and CEO of the Committee of Seventy, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that advocates for clean government and politics. “If it were a handful of calls, it would be a different story. If it’s a significant pattern of calls, you have to wonder about it.”
In all, 722 calls were made and received between the phones from Aug. 29, 2007 and Nov. 14, 2008, according to the list. Nearly half, or 302 calls, appear to be made from or received by Corbett’s campaign phone. The rest of the calls were made from or received by members of his campaign staff.
As for why calls appear to be made from others in Corbett’s campaign staff to state phones, Harley said he didn’t know.
A message left for Corbett on his campaign/personal Blackberry was not returned.
Attorneys for Mike Veon, the ex-Democratic state House Whip at the center of the investigation, presented a sample of the list on a projector for the jury to see, as part of their three-hour opening statement Monday. Veon and three of his top aides — Brett Cott, Stephen Keefer and Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink — are accused of theft, conflict of interest and conspiracy for allegedly doling out $1.4 in bonuses to state employees as incentive and reward for campaign work.
Political activist Gene Stilp, the director for Harrisburg-based Taxpayers and Ratepayers United, said there should be no calls made between Corbett’s campaign phones and taxpayer-funded phones, period.
“Not only was it during the time he was rerunning (for office), it was during the time period he was managing the (Bonusgate) investigation,” Stilp said. “You’d think he would have been a whole lot more rigorous in preventing anything that looked like campaigning on taxpayer time.”
Corbett won reelection to the attorney general’s office in 2008 and is now campaigning for the 2010 gubernatorial election.
Tim Potts, co-founder and president of Democracy Rising PA, said his agency is wary of anyone holding an office and seeking another office. It makes it almost impossible to draw the lines between legal and illegal, he said.
“Politicians being politicians will exploit any ambiguity they can find,” Potts said. “They see taxpayers as having unlimited money and campaigns having limited money.”
Hello, this is the Pennsylvania Attorney General Tommy Corbett, are you calling on Crimes you want to report or about my Campaign? Or both?
Please choose an option to report a crime:
If it is about Political Crimes, call my Corruption Strike Force Against Democrats, Labor Leaders, and Waste Management Competitors wait on the line, my 800 Staffers will all talk to you....
If it about Republican Political Crimes hang up and choose the Spanish or Chinese Option....
If it is about Senator Oreo and her Sister Joan Oreo Melvin call District Attorney Zappala...
If it is about my Campaign Staffers or myself, you have reached the wrong number.
Thank you for calling the Pennsylvania Attorney General Office!
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