It's not official, but Rep. Mike Vereb may be the first Republican across the starting line when it comes to ridiculous whining about partisan persecution in the possibly pending indictment of Sen. Jane Orie.
Thanks to an eagle-eyed commenter for pointing out a couple of particularly savory "Tweets" from Vereb's feed:
"amazing how a source can tell KDKA that SenOrie will be indicted. Hire Lou Denaples attorneys to find out the leak, it worked for him."
"Never once was there a grand jury leak in bonusgate, just speculation. But not in this case, I wonder why ??"
Never once? Never once?? Did your keyboard sputter to a halt in protest of having to produce such a profoundly ignorant statement, Mike?
As our eagle-eyed commenter noted, CasablancaPA catalogued a deluge of leaks that gushed from Corbett campaign's grand jury investigation of House Democrats.
Here's what has Vereb's panties in a bunch: "The grand jury's findings are expected to become public sometime this week, according to sources close to the case. Charges are expected against both Ms. Orie and one other person who is not believed to be a member of her staff." (Post-Gazette, 4/6/10)
And here are the reports that Vereb apparently slept through:
"A statewide grand jury has returned a presentment recommending criminal charges against several former state aides as well as at least one high ranking former state legislator, sources said. (Post-Gazette, 7/10/08)
"A statewide grand jury investigation into public corruption, spawned by a once-secret $3.6 million bonus program controlled by legislative leaders, could result in criminal charges within weeks, perhaps even days." (Tribune-Review, 6/25/08)
Not to mention:
"More than 80 e-mails obtained by the Post-Gazette show ..." (Post-Gazette, 6/15/08)
"Establishing a case ... became more difficult, said sources close to the probe..." (Post-Gazette, 5/11/08)
"In addition to testimony, the Attorney General has obtained multiple in-house e-mails ..." (Post-Gazette, 6/15/08)
"Sources familiar with the probe said state investigators in recent weeks have issued subpoenas for records ... " (Patriot-News, 3/30/08)
"A grand jury ... recently issued a fresh round of subpoenas to House leaders." (Inquirer, 3/8/08)
"The messages, obtained by the Post-Gazette..." (Post-Gazette, 12/16/07)
"Reever is one of three House Democratic staffers ordered to testify this week before the grand jury..." (Tribune-Review, 12/13/07)
"A grand jury has issued subpoenas to more employees...." (Morning Call, 12/8/07)
"...documents were shredded as a grand jury investigation was under way late this summer, according to several independent Capitol sources." (Tribune-Review, 11/21/07)
"...the state grand jury has subpoenaed six more legislative staffers ... sources with knowledge of the inquiry said." (Inquirer, 10/14/07)
"Sources close to the investigation say Mr. LaGrotta likely will be charged with ethics violations..." (Post-Gazette, 10/7/07)
"As many as 100 people are expected to be called before the grand jury, a source close to the investigation told the Post-Gazette." (Post-Gazette, 9/21/07)
"One person familiar with the raid said..." ((Post-Gazette, 9/30/07)
"Two sources, one of whom received a subpoena and another with close ties to the law enforcement community, confirmed that witnesses have been called to appear before a grand jury ..." (Tribune-Review, 4/12/07)
Never once a leak from the grand jury! Never once!
Does Mike Vereb actually think that this:
"The grand jury's findings are expected to become public sometime this week, according to sources close to the case."
..is not precisely identical to this?
"A statewide grand jury has returned a presentment recommending criminal charges against several former state aides as well as at least one high ranking former state legislator, sources said"
Or is it more likely that he believes in a double standard when it comes to the prosecution of Republicans versus Democrats?
Someone in the House Democratic Caucus must be praying Voltaire's very short and only prayer: "O Lord make my enemies ridiculous." And God granted it.
15 comments:
How many of those "sources close to the investigation" were actually correct, though?
Lets hope the Orie Indictemnets lead to the following investigations so fair justice is seen at the Capitol and an appointment of a Special Prosecutor to look into everything including Coirbett's OAG leajks, behavior, selective prosecutions, cover up about Republican Senators, and his own Campaign on State Time:
1. House Republicans gave out $350,000 in bonuses the previous two years (Tribune-Review, 2/2/07)
2. Senate Republicans gave out $919,000. Some of the largest bonuses of the four caucuses went to Senate Republican staffers who worked on campaigns. (Tribune-Review, 2/2/07)
3. Senate Republican political strategist Mike Long received a severance of $95,960 when he left the Senate payroll (Tribune Review, 2/1/07)
4. House Republican campaign material was illegally stored on a government Web site funded by taxpayers. (Inquirer, 2/18/07)
5. A state representative's aide complained to Republican leadership in 2006 that she had been pressured to perform campaign work on state time in the run-up to the 2006 election. Lisa Deon's "affidavit" outlining her complaints was widely circulated in September 2006 (Associated Press, 10/24/08)
Last night, Ms. Orie's attorney, Jerry McDevitt, said he was not surprised at word that his client would face charges. He reiterated his longstanding assertions that the prosecution of Ms. Orie, a Republican, by the office of Mr. Zappala, a Democrat, was politically motivated.
"It was obvious, from Day One, Zappala was going to try to wreck the Orie family to retaliate for the positions they've taken adverse to the Zappala family," he said.
Mr. McDevitt and Ms. Orie both have suggested that she has been targeted for prosecution because of her opposition to expanded casino gambling in Pennsylvania. Mr. Zappala's father, former state Supreme Court Justice Stephen A. Zappala Sr., has served as an official with a group representing the casino industry. The DA has repeatedly rejected the accusation, calling it a diversionary tactic.
FUNNY, D.A. STEVE ZAPPALA IS NOT RUNNING FOR ANY HIGHER OFFICE UNLIKE CORBETT?
STEVE ZAPPALA ONLY TOOK THE CASE WHEN AG CORBETT'S WOULD NOT DO IT AND REFERRED IT TO ZAPPALA?
STEVE ZAPPALA HAS NOTHING TO GAIN BY THIS INVESTIGATION UNLIKE CORBETT'S CAMPAIGN GOVERNORSHIP!
STEVE ZAPPALA RECORDED THE GRAND JURY HEARINGS TO MAKE SURE HIS ATTORNEY'S BEHAVED PROPERLY AS PROFESSIONALS UNLIKE TOM CORBETT FOUL MOUTH TEAM OF THUG BULLY LAWYERS.
ZAPPALA USED PROPER INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES THAT WILL NOT BE IN DISPUTE FOR AN APPEAL.
ZAPPALA LEGALLY ACQUIRED ALL COMPUTER DISCS THAT CAN BE AUTHENTICATED AND TRACED BACK TO REPUBLICAN SENATORS AND MAYBE OAG CAMPAIGN STAFFERS.
ZAPPALA HAS UNCOVER AN ALLEGED VAST ILLEGAL ELECTION OPERATION GOING ON FOR YEARS EVEN BEFORE O'KICKI AND AFTER HABAY BY ALLEGED REPUBLICAN SENATORS AND REPUBLICAN JUDGES.
NOW THE REPUBLICAN ARE CALLING IT A WITCH HUNT?
OH MY, THE GALL, AND EVERYONE IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS NOW UPSET?
REPUBLICAN HYPOCRISY KNOWS NO BOUNDS!
RESPONSE TO REPRESNTATIVE VEREB IN CAPS:
RepVereb
Pa Casino Association anyone ?
about 18 hours ago via mobile web
DOES DENAPLES BELONG TO IT, AFTER HE GAVE CORBETT $55,000 THAT CORBETT NEVRE RETURNED?
RepVereb
Never once was there a grand jury leak in bonusgate, just speculation. But not in this case, I wonder why ?? about 18 hours ago via mobile web
RepVereb
Amazing how a source can tell KDKA that SenOrie will be indicted. Hire Lou Denaples attorneys to find out the leak, it worked for him.
WOW, ALL DENAPLES DID IS CONTRIBUTE TO CORBETT'S CAMPAIGN, IS THAT HOW YOU DO IT, REP VEREB?
Nathan Benefield said...How many of those "sources close to the investigation" were actually correct, though? April 6, 2010 6:08 PM....
All those so-called Basketball Dinners were legal, but Corbett charged them to be illegal, and his OAG crack staff, was rejected by the Jurors after they heard why they were legal.
The truth never stops Corbett from using untruths to help his Campaign for Governor!
Corbett is now being caught between rock and hard place, the best is yet to come about him and his campaign!
If Judge Lewis is implicated as one the republican Judges that was helped by alleged Orie Illegal Republican Judges Campaigns, should he not be removed to decide the Appeals in the Veon, Cott, and Rosepink case?
Looks like the Orie operation goes back over Ten Years, according to KDKA, Republican Bill Green?
Is Republicans Bill Green and Paul Delano the leaks?
“Someone in the House Democratic Caucus must be praying Voltaire's very short and only prayer: "O Lord make my enemies ridiculous." And God granted it. “
Voltaire also said on his deathbed, as a Cardinal have him last rights, “Does He renounce Satan?”
Voltaire responded, "This Is No Time To Be Making New Enemies"?
Rep Vereb knows what Corbett did to the Democrats and he has wet pants knowing what is coming for the Republicans.
Same thing happen in Nazi Germany, once the Nazi's were defeated, all of sudden many said they had to join the party and do bad things to people out of professional duty...but they were caught anyway in spite their excuses, accusations, and the reality of the truth.
The Democratic Caucus should make sure someone runs against Vereb, because he may come to regret what he said in these early days of alleged Ories Operations on Campaigns!
Many that came out defending Nixon were ousted by their own GOP, and the rest picked off by democratic challenges.
Vereb verbosity and veracity is full of mendacity and will cut his career short sooner or later.
IN THE ALMIGHTY WORDS OF FRANK FINA, WE FOLLOW WHERE THE EVIDENCE TAKES US IN THE GRAND JURY!
Republicans are now saying, you do not follow the evidence if it takes you back to us!
Here the bigger worry, if the Orie Grand Jury found out, that the Republicans used State Resources and Staffs on Satte time to help out Federal elected officials such as Bush, that could bring in the FEDS????
A Republican candidates attitudes goes some ways to the way his or her life will be, especially Judges.
I wonder if that is something one might agree with here?
Someone is in trouble, something bad is happening.
Heres something that doesnt cost ya twenty-five bucks an hour. You carry your own water, Ya understand?
Carry your own water."
This is the history of American politics.
Some politicians are indicted before their time so that others can be re-elected to higher office; it’s the cornerstone of American political civilization, war, religion, politics, 25 to 45 will be indicted so that a that 50 senators, 200 legislators and an AG may be re-elected or elected to higher office.
Republicans often say the cornerstone of American political civilization is human sacrifice, until they are next in line.
Now it is about to happen to them, but not just Senators, Legislators, but Judges too. I see a lot of retirements coming and Judgeships opening up. Silencio!
Maybe this alleged Orie Republican Scandal made Corbett so upset about how much tax dollars were misspent as his investigation start to unfold, do you think this is what upset him over 3 years ago, and he could not talk about it?
There is a good quote to respond to Representative Vereb..."Whatever you condemn, you have done yourself." ~Georg Groddeck, The Book of the It, 1950
What will help people make up their minds about the ethical, practical and leadership qualifications of the commonwealth’s next governor?
Despite appearances, and despite Gov. Ed Rendell’s claim last week that Corbett could be the next governor, the jury remains out.
In fact, there are reasons to consider that Corbett’s campaign could be relieved that statewide voters have made the economy and taxes their primary issues, because it has kept widespread attention away from the prosecutions, not to mention the conflict-of-interest charges leveled at Corbett — as well as pending court motions and lawsuits against Corbett that remain potential liabilities.
Despite continued claims by the attorney general’s office that accusations, court motions and lawsuits against Corbett are baseless or “bogus,” it remains to be seen whether he can demonstrate to voters that he didn’t abuse his prosecutorial power in the semblance of cleaning up public corruption.
Additionally, a federal lawsuit filed against Corbett in 2008 alleges that thousands, perhaps millions, of public dollars were “illegally paid out to vendors.”
On March 11, Corbett was deposed in his office for six hours for a lawsuit filed against him and others in the office of the attorney general and Department of Revenue.
The whistleblower case alleges that Thomas D. Kimmett, a former attorney with the AG’s office, and his assistant, Sherry E. Bellaman, were terminated because of Kimmett’s call for an independent investigation into the collection practices within the Attorney General’s Financial Enforcement Section.
The case alleges “pervasive wrongdoing” in the collection of accounts receivable amounting to upwards of $300 million to $500 million.
It gives details of alleged fraudulent payouts to no-bid vendors and claims there was a “cover-up by Mr. Corbett and the other defendants.”
Attorney general spokesman Kevin Harley said he could not comment on ongoing litigation.
The discovery process in the case is set to end April 12, with a pre-trial conference July 2.
Unless the case is dismissed, it will go to trial in August and could prove “very embarrassing” to Corbett, said Charles Kimmett, a D.C.-based lawyer representing his uncle Thomas Kimmett.
Beginning in April 2008, when Corbett was running for re-election, Kimmett — who had already expressed concern internally about the collections practice inside the financial enforcement section — went “outside the chain of command” at the attorney general’s office, Charles Kimmett said.
“He had spoken to the U.S. attorney’s office because he was concerned that they were going to pin what was going on on him when the Department of Revenue had backed down from doing anything that would embarrass the AG’s office,” Charles Kimmett said.
In November, Corbett signed off on Kimmett’s termination, but two years later the case continues.
As Molere once said," One should examine oneself for a very long time before thinking of condemning others."
Taxpayers and Ratepayers United director, Gene Stilp, said, “One thousand days is enough time to indict the major figures in any investigation where the facts are so clearly laid out for an investigator in all four caucuses.
Tom Corbett can not serve two masters and be credible.
1000 days is a reasonable line in the sand.
Now that he is running for governor he must leave the Attorney General post.
He can’t do both without jeopardizing the non-political character any investigation should maintain.
If he doesn’t step down maybe we should call it Corbettgate.”
Future indictments by the candidate for governor should include people in both parties connected to the awarding of bonuses for political work in all caucuses, people receiving bonuses, people involved in using taxpayer money for political contracts, people involved in using charitable organizations for self dealing, people awarded salaries for no work jobs, law firm employees involved in violation of First Amendment rights in the election process, people using taxpayer owned resources and services for political work and personal enrichment, and destruction of evidence among other charges.
Stilp continued, “All doubt must be removed from the mind of the voter that the investigation is political.
As long as Tom Corbett is the Attorney General while he is running for governor a cloud of suspicion hangs over his campaign as to his motives for indicting or not indicting certain individuals.”
To further clear the cloud that hangs over him, Tom Corbett must return campaign donations from law firms noted in the first Bonusgate Presentment.
As of today, the time has passed for Tom Corbett to leave the AG post.
CORBETTGATE HAS ARRIVED JUST IN TIME!
Loose lips...sink ships!!
HEY, speaking of bonusgate, does anyone know what Paul Parsels does for almost $500.00 per day or $150,000.00 per year?
Since he just got a $19,000.00 raise, it better be a ton - but what? Do you actually know?
Ask Todd, but he'd just invoke the DeWeese defense - "I honestly don't know" and to be honest, he probably doesn't know.
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