Sunday, February 27, 2011
QUESTIONS FOR A GOVERNOR'S SPOKESMAN
Earlier this month, CasablancaPA remarked upon how well Dennis Roddy's anonymously-sourced reporting served the Tom Corbett for Governor campaign, and how Roddy was rewarded with a cushy administration job.
An intrigued reader has drawn our attention to one of Roddy's stories from September of 2008 - shortly after Corbett had decided charges against Republicans would be a political necessity.
The story, headlined "Pa. House GOP's use of computer investigated," does not explain how Roddy learned the subject of the grand jury's investigation, or how he knew that, the previous month, "six House Republican technology staff members were summoned before the grand jury and asked about the use of House computers and possible political work."
But what's most interesting is that the original story, posted to the Post-Gazette's website on Sept. 11, 2008, contained this sentence:
"Among questions was an inquiry about one top Republican aide who prosecutors believe received a free communications wiring upgrade at his home."
By the next day, that sentence had been excised from the story.
(The only other difference was the truncation of a long Steve Miskin quote.)
Did Roddy show a little too much initiative for Corbett's taste when reporting that story? Why would he remove that particular sentence unless the OAG asked him?
Back then, Corbett may have worried that inconvenient questions might arise if the voters learned about the huge discrepancies between what Corbett knew and the charges that he filed.
In September of 2008, Corbett was facing increasing criticism for the partisan nature of his investigation.
"Is state bonus probe partisan?" a news analysis in the Patriot-News asked.
Governor Rendell also suggested partisanship was guiding Corbett's hand:
"I don't understand why after two years you only could make your decision on Democrats," he told the Tribune-Review.
"...the pressure's on to demonstrate a bipartisan dedication to reform ...If he fails to charge Republicans between now and November, he will certainly open himself up to claims that he's politicized the reform movement..." the Chambersburg Public Opinion opined.
With Election Day approaching, and his opponent in the Attorney General race accusing him of "botching the investigation," Corbett needed to convey that he was now investigating Republicans.
Because he'd spent most of the previous year schmoozing House Republicans at fund-raisers, secretly meeting them with his campaign manager, giving the go-ahead to swap out computers, there was no way he'd be ready to announce indictments in time for Election Day.
(And besides, that might hurt the Republicans' chances of recapturing the House.)
He needed stories like Roddy's to counteract accusations of partisanship. But he couldn't reveal too much about the evidence he was gathering until he had decided whether or not he would act upon that evidence.
The complications for Corbett of too much independent reporting about the evidence later would be revealed. For example:
When fellow Post-Gazette reporter Tracie Mauriello developed information that campaign aide Dan Wiedemer had implicated Steve Stetler to the grand jury a year earlier, Roddy scrambled to insert into the story - anonymously sourced, of course - Corbett's ludicrous, face-saving contention that investigators were still deciding, a year after the fact, whether to indict Stetler.
With the cat now out of the bag, Corbett did indict Stetler - nearly a year and a half after he was implicated and the original indictments had been announced.
Was it a coincidence that it was Roddy's rival at the Tribune-Review who broke the story that Corbett had ignored the implications of an email in which Bill DeWeese responded to a staffer who thanked him for a bonus "for campaigning," with "U R welcome?" (The Trib also was skeptical enough about Roddy's motives to link to our previous post.)
And although Corbett's failure to pursue charges against Sen. Jane Orie - even turning away an intern who tried to report Orie's activities to the OAG - has raised eyebrows at other news outlets ("Orie charges political dynamite;" "Orie indictment could raise questions about Corbett’s probe") the Post-Gazette has raised no such concern.
We've no doubt that "sources" indeed told Roddy in Sept. 2008 that investigators were pursuing allegations of a "top Republican aide" receiving a communications wiring upgrade at his home at taxpayer expense. The question remains, who then told him to keep it quiet, and why?
Newspapers are going out of business and reporters have to find new jobs, so they sell out by investigating Public Officials and then take a buyoff, by becoming part of the Press corp on the Taxpayers dimes they were suppose to protect, report, and expose, but they just sell out for a job now.
ReplyDeleteRoddey may no longer be a Reporter but he sure looks like pawn of the powerful. Well, when you have no talent you take waht you can get, but his parents and children cannot be proud today, but at least they are fed from tax dollars.
It is called Welfare For The Fools that are afraid to follow the truth while others suffer due to his intentional ignorance.
ReplyDeleteWhen the full truth comes out and takes down Corbett, Roddey will become like a Gaddafi's inner circle claiming he never knew anything and then will abandon Corbett in the name of decency.
The big problem is he should do it now if he had any guts and smarts.
The Truth crushed into the earth will only rise again, just like when Cain tried to buried Able's body to hide his sins, the earth kept coughing Able's body up so it could not be hidden.
WWW.CORBETTGATE.COM
Ironic that you of all people should be criticizing a former reporter for taking a job in the governors communications office, dontcha think?
ReplyDeleteWho could forget this little love letter Roddy composed for his soon-to-be employer?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10283/1094033-178.stm
A Teabagger, Union Member and a CEO are sitting at a table with a dozen cookies.
ReplyDeleteThe CEO immediately takes 11 cookies for himself.
The CEO then turns to the Teabagger and says, 'Watch out for that union guy, he wants part of your cookie.'
In the last two weeks, the Corbett Administration has rolled back environmental safeguards on drilling in state parks and forests, moved to eliminate air pollution standards on gas drilling and been slammed by the New York Times for being in the pocket of the powerful drilling industry.
ReplyDeleteAnd now it’s time for a referendum. Corbett’s top environmental regulator – or industry “partner,” as Team Corbett prefers to call him – has his confirmation hearing today.
At this point, it’s pretty safe to say that a vote for Department of Environmental Protection nominee Michael Krancer is potentially radioactive… just like our drinking water.
Based on Jane Orie Fraud Evidence revelations one must wonder why Attorney General Corbett waited so long to investigate Senators????
ReplyDeleteIt is clear the Republicans were hiding and creating false evidence now.
I think we are among an abyss!
I have no dog in this fight, but I do know this. SOMEBODY on the defense team is in a lot of trouble–either the lawyers or the defendants–and I doubt that a serious man like Mr Costopolous would ever take this risk. Falsifying evidence is obstruction of justice–period. These people are in serious trouble–and no longer does this have to do whether or not political campaigning was done on state time.
ReplyDeleteIts always the coverup that gets you—ask Richard Nixon–some people never learn.
Where is the Independent American Media and journalists on how Corbett handled his investigations and missed Senator Jane, Janine, and Joan Orie Melvin.
If Republicans are willing to do this to save themselves what did they do to go after their political opponents and Democrats???
Where are those investigations why are Reporters being hired by the Governor instead of investigating?
As we get ready for tomorrow’s State of the State address by Gov. Corbett, the York Daily Record took a look back at the “lessons of Bonusgate.”
ReplyDeleteAnd the state of government reform is… non-existent.
But at least Candidate Corbett, who promised to deliver his reform plan on “Day 1” and that “from eliminating per diems to stopping pay to play to reducing the state automotive fleet.
Corbett's words said his plan will deliver real reform and real results for the people of Pennsylvania, but Big Oil is still big since they provided the money to elect him!”
The Legislature – which has congratulated itself for reform without delivering any – are in strong agreement on ignoring their own rhetoric and maintaining the special interest status quo and all its perks, have collection agencies as their clever contributors through Cawley.
Maybe they all will take a moment to give themselves a standing ovation during tomorrow’s speech?
They’ve earned it.
Through early morning fog I see
ReplyDeleteVisions of the things to be
The testimony that were withheld from me
I realize and I can see...
That Immunity Testimony is painless
It brings on many changes
And Reporters can take or leave it if they please.
I try to find a way to make
All our little truths and joys relate
Without that ever-present hate
but now I know that it's too late, and...
The game of gotcha politics is hard to play
Honest staffers gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I'll someday lay
So this is all I have to say.
That Immunity Testimony is painless
It brings on many changes
And Media can take or leave it they please.
I try to find a way to make
All our little truths and joys relate
Without that ever-present hate
but now I know that it's too late, and...
The only way the OAG can win is cheat
And lay it down before I am beat
And to another give my seat
For that's the only painless feat.
That Immunity Testimony is painless
It brings on many changes
And the public can take or leave it if they please.
I try to find a way to make
All our little truths and joys relate
Without that ever-present hate
but now I know that it's too late, and...
The sword of truth and time will pierce the falsehoods
It doesn't hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger...watch it grin, but...
That Immunity Testimony is painless
It brings on many changes
And we can take or leave it if we please.
I try to find a way to make
All our little truths and joys relate
Without that ever-present hate
but now I know that it's too late, and...
A bias Judge once requested me
To answer questions that are key
Is it true or not true
And I replied 'oh why ask me?'
'Cause Immunity Testimony is painless
It brings on many changes
And we can take or leave it if we please.
...And you can do the same thing if you please