"'That indicates to me that the Legislature and everyone needs to take a look at how moneys ... are being spent and how it's being directed,’ [Gubernatorial Candidate Tom] Corbett said at a Pittsburgh news conference where he announced the charges against [former state representative Mike] Veon.
Corbett's continuing investigation into the Beaver Initiative for Growth , Veon's nonprofit, nicknamed BIG, includes a look at how taxpayers' money moves through the state budget and into the bank accounts of nonprofit groups. The inquiry also will scrutinize grant money given to nonprofit groups headed up by other legislators, although Corbett, a Republican, did not identify any.” (Associated Press, March 25, 2009)
No, but we did.
Among them was "Operation Good Neighbor," headed by former U.S. Senator and likely 2010 Presidential candidate Rick Santorum.
Nearly two years later, there's no indication Corbett looked at any non-profits headed by legislators other than Veon, and certainly not Santorum's. Completely coincidentally, Santorum endorsed Corbett about eight months after Corbett announced he would be investigating legislators' non-profits.
Santorum's non-profit incorporated in Pennsylvania closely mirrored what Corbett alleges Veon to have done with BIG.
There was a shockingly low ratio of giving to overhead. (“Sen. Santorum’s home mortgage foundation outlays raise questions” Philadelphia Daily News, 2/21/06)
There was a completely unacceptable blending of the non-profit operations with his legislative and political operations. (“Santorum’s Operation Good Neighbor is low on giving, high on fees” Associated Press, 2/25/06)
And, there was plenty of evidence of government contracts being awarded to friends of the non-profit and Santorum’s political causes and personal campaign. (“Big donor to Rick’s charity was seeking federal aid” Philadelphia Daily News, 3/2/06; “Group tied to Santorum campaign gets $250,000 grant” Philadelphia Daily News, 3/24/06)
Perhaps now that Santorum is actively seeking the Republican nomination for President, it's time for a fresh look at what Corbett pointedly chose to ignore.
6 comments:
Well at least he didn't call him a nazi or despicable
The Republicans will conclude that Tom Corbett’s Election on the backs of misusing Justice to go after Democrats was not needed to be elected, yet Corbett did it anyway.
When it comes back on Republicans and revelations are revealed how Republicans have used proxies and surrogates to add to their Campaigns Coffers there will be more Robert Asher's around the convicted Republican responsible for the election of Tom Corbett.
What goes around comes around; Corbett is already unpopular, just like Richard Nixon was upon his victory built on enemies lists.
Corbett may be the
The Pennsylvania governor can be impeached. The process is described in the Pennsylvania Constitution, Article IV, Sections 4-6.
http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Constitution.html
Actually, the Impeachment process was created by a Pennsylvanian.
It all dates back to the Philadelphia Convention, Benjamin Franklin noted that, historically, the removal of “obnoxious” chief executives had been accomplished by assassination.
Thank goodness, such chief executives are protected today from this barbaric act by wayward people thinking that solves problems when it does not in anyway.
Therefore, Franklin suggested that a proceduralized mechanism for removal — impeachment — would be preferable and the government and states adopted such laws and practices.
The only time Impeachment was used in Pennsylvania was on May 24, 1994, when Rolf Larsen Associate Justice, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Removed on October 4, 1994, and declared ineligible to hold public office in Pennsylvania.
If the Orie Trial continues with convictions and leads to Associate Justice, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Joan Orie Melvin being subject to Habay Election Violations allegations are proven unless she resigns, Pennsylvania could see another impeachment..
As well as Governor Tom Corbett should allegations come out on illegal campaign contributions or Kimmentt Case leads to uncovering further allegations of criminality.
It will be interesting to see and nevertheless, Republicans that did the same thing as Senator Fumo and alleged Representative Veon will and should not walk away.
If they do, that would be a travesty.
Ricky Santorums charity donated only about 40 percent of the $1.25 million it spent over 4 years, well below Better Business Bureau standards.
Ricky also paid several hundred thousand dollars to campaign aides on the charity payroll, another questionable expense.
It is has been well established for years by the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance standards that charitable organizations must spend at least 65 percent of their total expenses on program activities not salaries, yet Santorum did not comply and has never been investigated by the IRS, US Attorney's or the Pennsylvania Attorney General.
Funny, looks like Santorum has copied currently indicted Republican Senator Jane Orie tactics of using his Charity Address at the same address of Santorum’s Campaign Office in suburban Philadelphia.
Let us recall, Attorney General Corbett refused to even investigate Senator Jane Orie on this subject as he prosecuted Democratic Lawmakers.
Once again, as Tom Corbett hired the same people for his Attorney Office as well as his campaign Corbett was supposes to be investigating.
Santorum did the same thing by hiring people who have worked on his campaign are working for his charity and collecting money from it, records show.
Specifically, Maria Diesel, who has been paid fund-raising fees by the campaign, is listed as the charity's finance director???
Even worse, Diesel was given$192,958 in professional fund-raising fees from Santorum charity???
Also, Robert Bickhart, is the charity's executive director earning $75,000 in salary from the charity and being a campaign fundraiser???
Additionally, Robert Bickhart is so dynamic he holds actually three jobs since he has his own company known as Capitol Resource Group that just happens to lease office space to the Santorum's charity.
Now is that a In-Kind donation or a clever way of using a kickback, but Attorney General Corbett never looked into it ever, but that may be a coincidence since Santorum contributed to Tom Corbett Governor's Campaign???
Moreover, it is weird, but to date Santorum's Non-Profit Charity has paid $20,437 in occupancy fees.
In 2001 to 2004, Santorum's so-called Non-Profit Charity took in a total of $1.6 million and spent about $1.25 million.
Yet, when any honest person looks carefully of that amount, just over $501,000 was awarded in grants, helping people from the homeless to AIDS patients.
Furthermore, the charity treasurer is Barbara Bonfiglio, who happens to be another person holding more than one job, by being the treasurer for Santorum's Campaign???
Finally, in the finest tradition of Convicted Republican Lobbyists Casino Jack Abramoff Jack convict book on how in Washington D.C. by hiring now Convicted Congressman Tom Delay's Chief of Staff that was also convicted.
Santorum's secretary is none other Mark Rodgers, his former chief of staff and holds another job as staff director at the Senate Republican Conference, where Ricky was Chairman???
Although, the charity filings do not show that either Bonfiglio or Rodgers were paid by the charity.
As it is well known, if you go to Washington, you do not require any brains, but all you do require is money!
Once again, Corbett Public Corruption Unit never investigated Santorum’s questionable use of Non-Profits Charity violations mixed with Campaign Fundraising, but you can bet Republicans running for President will do just that for the 2012 nomination background check on honesty.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Las Vegas deputy district attorney who prosecuted Paris Hilton for cocaine possession was arrested over the weekend after allegedly buying a rock of cocaine, authorities said on Monday.
LOS ANGELES – A former Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorney was sentenced Monday to more than 17 years in prison for pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to create fake documents for immigrants in a scheme prosecutors described as an epic display of a public official's greed.
Constantine Peter Kallas, a one-time assistant chief counsel for ICE, was also ordered by U.S. District Judge Terry J. Hatter Jr. to pay $296,000 in restitution after being convicted last year of 36 counts, including conspiracy, bribery and fraud.
"If you want to live like a Republican, then vote like a Democrat." It's never been said better and Santorum is the poster child for former middle class americans that woke up one day and became a republicans after benefiting from democrat programs to put them and him through High School, College and Law School, not to mention cyber schooling Santorm's kids at the tax payer's expense when he didn't even live in Penn Hills. Will the Democrats ever get it and begin to fight against the republican wave to destroy the middle & working class in our society. Democrats have morals, are pro-life too, and protect gun owners rights as well.
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