We've always found it curious that then-Gubernatorial Candidate, now Governor Tom Corbett charged Mike Veon with a crime for allegedly bartering a contract with Delta Development, Inc., in exchange for a job for his brother, yet no one at Delta Development was charged in connection with this alleged crime. (Tribune Review 3/27/09)
Now we know why: Delta Development is partially owned by the son-in-law of powerful Corbett crony LeRoy S. Zimmerman, Anthony Seitz. (Inquirer 6/19/11)
The same LeRoy Zimmerman that Corbett pretended he would investigate, after six years of complaints, only after he was embarrassed by a front-page story in the Philadelphia Inquirer a month before the election.
The same LeRoy Zimmerman whom Campaigns and Elections named as one of the Top Republican Influencers in Pennsylvania.The same Leroy Zimmerman whom PoliticsPA described as "a power broker in Central Pennsylvania" who "contributes heavily to state and national Republicans."
The same LeRoy Zimmerman who paid his son-in-law's firm $290,000 (so far) in non-profit Hershey Trust funds to develop a revitalization plan for Hershey. (Inquirer 6/19/11)
What's that you say? Why is it a crime for Veon to use non-profit funds to engage a firm that employs his brother, but not for Zimmerman to use non-profit funds to engage a firm partially owned by his son-in-law?
We are at a loss, dear readers. What could possibly explain this blatant double standard?
33 comments:
Right on...OUTSTANDING! For countless facts, get them all for review at: http://www.protecthersheychildren.org/
The mission of PHC is one all should support, especially those who went to MHS; however, if you're on the same page for MHS reform please never publicly slam one another.
Doing what Mr. Hershey wanted done is our sole objective. It's that simple.
good for the goose...Philly GOP notariesa get to turn in their notary seals instead of being prosecuted for election fraud. What ever happened to that Senate ongoing investigation?
You may well look forward to the DeWeese and Perzel trials, and I think you're right that it's a systemic problem, but how do you feel about selective prosecution and punishment? Todd Eachus gets a target letter, and then strangely never gets indicted. This website has raised repeated seemingly great questions about numerous lawmakers, DAs and county commissioners, none ever charged. The results can appear awfully arbitrary.
So far, not one local or state investigation, bring in the Feds and start to investigate the Pennsylvania Attorney General Office and find out how many Leroy Zimmerman Appointments hold overs.
Investigate the Attorney General Investigators and Prosecutors under oath, once one breaks, the rest will fall.
Six Years Of Tom Corbett Ignoring Needy Children, Allowing Childcare Resource Waste, & Enabling Crony Self-Enrichment And Corbett's Campaign.
Over the last six years, Tom Corbett was provided with 14 Letters, 2 Essays, a Compensation & Performance Analysis, and a Comprehensive Lecture addressing Hershey Trust dysfunction with detailed and compelling supporting evidence.
The Wren Dale luxury golf course matter was mentioned no less than ten times, beginning on September 6, 2006. But Tom Corbett did not investigate.
Then, on October 6, 2010, i.e., three days after the Philadelphia Inquirer drew attention to the matter and two months before the PA governor election, Tom Corbett finally announced “action.”
The following timeline summarizes the correspondence on this and Tom Corbett’s consistent stonewalling.
* Fall 2004: Telephone conference and meeting with then Attorney General candidate Tom Corbett, apprising him of Hershey Trust dysfunction and need for reform of charity’s board, one led by Corbett crony Roy Zimmerman.
* January 18, 2005: Tom Corbett wins election and takes oath of office as Attorney General.
* September 6, 2006: “One Stroke to Midnight for Children” (Letter to Corbett included detailed essay warning about “Springboard” and describing the Wren Dale matter, MHS childcare breakdown, 500 removed children, bullying of staff, and overall MHS dysfunction leading to needy children being hurt.)
* December 14, 2006: “Children Are Being Hurt And A Childcare Treasure Lost” (Letter with details on continued MHS problems, 500 removed children, and mentioning Wren Dale matter.)
* December 8, 2006: At urging of Tom Corbett and Hershey Trust (led by Corbett crony Roy Zimmerman), PA State Supreme Court rules that only Attorney General speaks for needy children and directs that all concerns about the Hershey Trust be raised solely with Attorney General Corbett.
* May 17, 2007: “Continued Childcare Spiral at Milton Hershey School” (Letter with details on worsening MHS problems, 500+ removed children, and mentioning Wren Dale matter.)
* April 3, 2008: “Before Another Child Is Harmed” (Letter describing increasing harms to MHS children, worsening problems, 827 removed children, and mentioning Wren Dale matter.)
Timeline:
* April 14, 2008: Tom Corbett finally answers: “After careful review of the issues presented I do not believe that my intervention is necessary or appropriate.” In other words, five months before his 2008 Attorney General reelection bid, Corbett responds. He blames departing needy children for MHS program failures, ignores the bullying of staff by MHS leaders, condones child-crowding residential schemes, ignores warnings about “Springboard” (the 20-child per-bedroom intake facility), rationalizes board conflicts of interest, condones self-enrichment by his political cronies, and refuses to act on the Wren Dale matter.
* August 25, 2008: (Letter describing MHS downward spiral, 910 removed children, “Springboard” child-crowding, partisan politics tainting personnel decisions, use of charity for Republican fundraising, and Wren Dale matter.)
* November 20, 2008: (Letter outlining more MHS dysfunction, 910 removed children, and Wren Dale matter.)
* March 5, 2009: (Letter sent to Corbett as a private plea about deplorable problems at MHS, alerting him to sham presidential “search” being orchestrated to name discredited board member Tony Colistra as next MHS president.)
* March 19, 2009: “MHS Board Reform Necessary Prior To President Selection” (Letter provides detailed essay describing Hershey Trust leadership dysfunction, including Wren Dale matter, and explicitly warning of sham “search” being orchestrated to name Tony Colistra as next MHS president.)
* June 29, 2009: “Private Meeting Request” (Letter requesting private meeting with Tom Corbett to apprise him of urgent action needed from him to prevent success of sham presidential search orchestrated to name Tony Colistra.)
* July 10, 2009: “Your Failure To Protect Needy Children, MHS Employees, and Pennsylvania Taxpayers” (Letter cites the many problems brought to Tom Corbett’s attention, including the Wren Dale matter, all ignored by him. (“Your answer to calls for meaningful action? Stony, cold-hearted silence. Rationalizations on behalf of wrongdoers. The cosseting of the powerful while they damage the interests of the weak.”)
* July 17, 2009: “Invitation To Public Discussion” (Letter inviting Tom Corbett to discuss Hershey Trust issues in a public forum where PA voters and taxpayers can learn about the misuse of this $7.3 billion childcare charity.)
Timeline.....
* August 6, 2009: “MHS President Selection Travesty” (Letter takes Tom Corbett to task for ignoring warnings about the sham presidential search. These warnings were proved accurate when Tony Colistra was in fact named to the position. Letter notes Colistra participation in the Wren Dale decision). (“You ignored our warnings. Accordingly, General Corbett, this decision is entirely your responsibility –as is the related waste of Pennsylvania taxpayers’ money, the harm to needy children, and the abuse of MHS frontline care-providers...”)
* April 22, 2010: “Mothers of Expelled MHS Children Seek Meeting With You” (Letter detailing MHS attrition, including heart-wrenching letters from expelled children and mothers seeking meeting with Tom Corbett.) (“This mass departure has now mushroomed to the point where, on average, more than one child has been leaving MHS every single school day for the last six years. [D]uring the same time span, only 786 children graduated...while 1,141 were removed. [D]roves of these children have been bullied into ‘voluntarily withdrawing,’ on pain of being expelled.”) The mothers and children received no response from Corbett.
* September 1, 2010: “Hershey Trust Company/Excessive Compensation” (Letter mentions ongoing MHS problems and provides a carefully-prepared lecture that mentions Wren Dale matter.)
* September 2, 2010: (Tom Corbett, due to media scrutiny, responds to the September 1, 2010 letter. He publicly stonewalls and insists that no investigation is necessary: “A spokesman for Attorney General Tom Corbett says the allegations and ‘borderline political attacks’ raised in the group's letter are not new. He says the office ensures that the intent of each charitable trust is upheld, but it does not micromanage the organizations.”) (Source: WITF.)
* October 3, 2010: Bob Fernandez of The Philadelphia Inquirer exposes Wren Dale details.
* October 6, 2010: Tom Corbett suddenly declares, “An investigation was initiated last month based on information we had received [at that time];” i.e., the precise opposite of what Corbett said in his September 2, 2010 media statement, when he belittled the allegations made against his political cronies.
Conclusion:
Tom Corbett only acts when it is politically expedient, and even then for show. For six years, he turned a blind eye while children were hurt, hundreds of millions of childcare dollars were squandered, and experiments were conducted on needy children (including a 20-child per bedroom intake facility that wasted $45 million).
Two weeks ago, on the eve of the governor’s election, Corbett finally made a hollow gesture to give the appearance of action.
Corbett’s Republican cronies, led by former two-term Attorney General LeRoy Zimmerman, are responsible for the Hershey Trust’s problems including the indefensible Wren Dale golf course purchase. Corbett’s nonchalance about this allowed his cronies to use this childcare charity for self-enrichment, Republican patronage, and luxury golf.
Needy children, distraught mothers, MHS staff, and PA taxpayers will now pay the price.
Having failed in his job as Attorney General, Tom Corbett nonetheless asks Pennsylvanians to give him a promotion to the job of governor. His conduct is simply shameful, as the above timeline shows.
Please join us to stop these Corrupt Camouflages of Charity that misuse Justice Machinery to win Cover Up Elections for the exploitation of children as the stuff their pockets with Hershey's money.
Months ago, then Attorney General Tom Corbett issued a public statement belittling PHC's concerns and calling PHC’s allegations ‘nothing new,’ just as he has did for six straight years.
Just before his election to be Governor, Corbett claims that he was actually investigating at the time and asks the public to believe that the timing of his ‘investigation’ has nothing to do with his election bid.
This is political theater at its most absurd and now everyone must question all of Corbett's Grand Juries and lack of results as he ran for governor.
We hope that Pennsylvania voters, Republican and Democrat alike, will see through this flimsy ruse and start to demand a FederalM investigation on Tom Corbett tenure as AG.
Great story and you guys always have your facts 100% straight. No question Corbett is just another scheming republicrat clown.
It is a shame that there is such transparently selective prosecution and no logic to who gets charged and who get off. The sentences don't make any sense. From the leaders of the shameful 2005 Payjacking (Veon, DeWeese, Perzel, Juby, etc. etc.) to Bonusgate and all the other shenanigans we don't even hear about, these folks who put their selfish self interests and their party before country are to me traitors and should be facing long sentences for purposely undermining our democracy. So what to conclude…
This is a system problem folks. There is no new republicrat personality that is going to ride in and save the day. A two-party "democracy" is too thin to be competitive - it's simple arithmetic. Limiting ballot access, media access – heck even staging fake presidential debates - gets us where we are today: uncompetitive elections that keep serving up the same dimwit, freeloader crooks from both parties.
Republicrats are the true threat to this country. It's time for democracy protests in the US and to make space in Guantanomo for these traitor clowns.
Looking forward to the Perzel and Deweese trials. Let's hope they serve the long sentences they deserve for working so hard to hobble our democracy.
To Anonymous June 26, 2011 2:25 PM
I completely agree with you about selective prosecution and punishment. I don't know why some of these guys skate and some don't, but it sure smells bad.
This system is morally and financially bankrupt. We can go on and on citing examples from both sides. It's shame we have kids fighting oversease for our country and all these republicrats working so hard to undermine democracy and justice.
With America’s birthday upon us, this is the opportunity to declare independence from reality.
What’s that? The Republican Party already beat us to it?
Arrrgh! Is there anything they can’t ruin?!?
Oh, man, where to start?
In Harrisburg, the GOP ramrodded its awful budget through via secret negotiations that ignored the fact that there’s, you know, a two-party system.
Even as school districts across the state raise taxes and make personnel cuts and universities raise tuition.....The Republicans led by Gov. Tom Corbett have the gall to insist that the state budget is for the middle-class they invoke so much, but never really fight for.
The Big Five Lies And Benefits For Republicans Contributors.
1. Corporate give-aways and tax loopholes? Check.
2. Refuse to use a $700 million or more surplus to lessen the impact on residents? Check.
3. Fight drilling fees on companies siphoning our natural gas and threatening the environment? Check.
4. Demonize welfare recipients by ranting about unspecified “waste, fraud and abuse?” Check.
5. Do the bidding of far right-wing organizations and blowhards such as anti-tax enforcer/Gov.-In-Absentia Grover Norquist? Check.
At least you’ll know who to call when class sizes balloon, programs get cut and tuition skyrockets.
Education, smeducation. To quote Ted Baxter in “Caddyshack,” “The world needs ditch diggers, too.”
I say, if you think Education is expensive, try ignorance?
Anybody else seething?
“They have ownership of this mess,” said Democratic state Rep. Jesse White.
“They can’t blame Rendell.
They can’t blame the Democrats.
This is their ideological dream come true!”
Is that the same ideology driving the Congressional GOP to save the economy by pursuing anti-abortion bills, fighting gay marriage, protecting the wealthy from tax hikes and defending tax loopholes and subsidies for oil companies (i.e., the most profitable businesses on earth.)?
Wait. I thought it was all about the economy in November?
Remember, Mr. and Mrs. Teabagger? Hmmm.
I guess jobs, jobs, jobs aren’t so important any more. Wait.
You don’t think the GOP is so craven that they’d fiddle while the middle class burns just to gain political leverage against President Obama in 2012?
Nah. That’d be crazier than a Michelle Bachmann history lesson. Wouldn’t it?
It was always about JOBS and the Economy, but how is this state budget about jobs and the economy? It cuts spending as promised but victimizes the middle class and some of the most needy residents of our population. And how do the R's defend tuition increases at our state universities - mostly middle class Pennsylvanian's attend our state universities. And how do the R's defend the local school tax increases resulting from the reduction in state contribution to public schools. And how do the R's explain the loss of thousands of jobs, both professional and support, in the public schools because of the reduction in state contribution to public schools.
I'd say that the PA State Republicans have a strange definition of Help for the middle class and Job Creation. I can't wait for the "extra" help the middle class is going to get when the Republicans ram-rod the voucher bill through. What about families that home school and what about families with no children? Where is their tax relief?
The hits just keep on coming and no matter how bad the Republican Policy decisions are, the media and their spin doctors will continue to paint it as good for you regardless of reality.
The Republican's won't be happy until their two class society exists of only the rich and the poor - no middle class takes us back to near pre-historic times.
DeWeese's venue change motion failed...pretty soon, the dual nails in his coffin - Sidella and Manzo - will be hammered home and the Commonwealth will be rid of this pompous buffoon forever.
Manzo cannot nail anyone not even his wife these days based upon his last testimony of limp lying still syndrome.
Sidella slides like a snake running away from the truth as he is twisting in darker non-verifiable facts in an attempt to save himself.
Prosecutors are in a perfect position to be bushwhacked then they will scatter as more truths come out on how and why investigations were made for the weak minded.
It will not be pretty but Justice will prevail just as the Prosecutors cannot weather some storms created by Politicos and not of, by, for the truth.
Prezel October Surprise!
A statewide grand jury, invited Todd Eachus as a target for running Bonusgate but Prosecutors have forgotten about his alleged crimes.
No outcome on Eachus, and what about the State Senate? Now that the feds are after Sen Musto (Dem) and Sen Mellow (Dem) and got Fumo (Dem), and Allegh. DA is after Orie (GOP), has this 4 year + investigation of the legislature that included all 4 caucuses ended without uncovering any corruption in any Senate office? If for 4 years they kept saying it was ongoing, more to come, stay tuned, or whatever, if it's over shouldn't they say so? Heck, aren't we running out the statute of limitations on the 2004, 2005 and 2006 years (that House Ds and Rs were charged for)?
Old Billy Packjacker being judged by his peers in his decades old refuge - the Sewer by the Susquehanna seems just right. Payjacker Perzel you’re up next. Remember - I told you so – both of you.
No real jobs, squatting at the public trough, gaming the democratic process - there seems to be a pattern with career republicrats.
Clearly Corbett’s actions and lack of action is transparently suspect. Agree Corbett should have charged many, many more republicrats, especially the republican-flavored republicrats, but no issue with those two.
As usual, your asessment of the hypocrite that is Tom Corbett is right on target. I have another one for you. How is it possible that Allegheny County was able to calculate the costs of the Poplawski trial in about a week, and we have NEVER had any accounting for any of the Bonusgate sham trials. They have always claimed there was no way to calculate such an amount. Are they liars or incompetent?
Anonymous said...July 6, 2011 7:32PM
I agree with your statement. The Pennsylvania Attorney General office is acting like the Nazi Gestapo and Russia Secret police when it hides its book on what it is spending.
This America not a Dictatorship, if the Allegheny County District Attorney can put forth its expenses on investigations and trials with just 144 employees, why not The Office of Attorney General with over 800 employees?
Pennsylvania needs legislation to oversee the office of Attorney General and this the place where they want oversight on the Gaming Board?
Yet, no oversight on Hershey Trust abuses because Tom Corbett's relationship with LeRoy Zimmerman and the Republican Party?
What has happen to the 18 Month Grand Jury on Alleged Jerry Sandusky Child Molestation?
It has been over for months and stills no report that was started by Corbett.
Wonder how much Penn State Second Mile contributors and Football Contributors gave to the Corbett Campaign.
This is the best way to know if one will not be indicted or why 34 Grand Juries were conducted by Corbett but only 6 Reported Officially.
So far, the remaining 28 Grand Juries have not been issued?
Count on Corbett to investigate you until it is time to contribute to his campaigns.
Can someone list all the 34 Grand Juries Conducted under Corbett's reign of Storm Troopers that cannot add up what they costs?
Corbett Takes his Marching Orders from Convicted Felon Bob Asher Has he no shame?
Corbett’s working his way to a one term governorship, unless he follows Palin’s trend and bolts halfway through and setting up a turn over of one chamber.
So enjoy it Pennsylvanians, as he destroys your kids chances of success by gutting education, helps put GOP kids into private school at your expense and allows gas extraction companies to ravage our environment without so much as asking them to pay for their mess.
Should Gov. Corbett’s disapproval scores be so high for doing what he promised when running for the office last year?
Many Republicans (and a few Democrats) snickered while voting for Corbett in November, figuring the new Gov would not cut in areas where they have interests.
After some posturing, these cynical voters believe, Corbett would raise taxes, saying he had no choice.
What has happened in the first 100 days of Corbett’s rule underscores the poor campaign waged by his Democrat opponent Dan Onorato.
I wish I had my vote back from the 2010 gubernatorial race.
For the right-wing zealots of the Republican Party, Corbett is viewed as the second coming.
In short order he intends to destroy public sector unions, flush public education down the toilet, help private colleges become more competitive, screw poor people and hand natural gas drillers a pass to rape our landscape.
What more could Corbett do for his base and his wealthy friends?
If Corbett stumbles or outright fails to deliver on his promises, the fault will belong to the leadership in both legislative houses, even though they are members of the same political party.
School vouchers will be the example.
Corbett prefers to deal with vouchers after getting his budget through the House and Senate by the July 1 deadline.
That schedule conflicts with the personal ambitions of Sen. Jeff Piccola, chairman of the education committee.
The Senator is considering a challenge to Bob Casey for the U.S. Senate seat up in 2012.
Corbett’s priority is the 2011-12 budget.
Even after that he would prefer a smaller voucher program at the outset, mindful of the cost.
Corbett proposes a pittance that would barely extend options to poor children in the worst school districts.
Piccola wants to be known as the state lawmaker who delivered on vouchers.
He also needs enough funding to insure that Republican families get taxpayers to pay for sending their kids to private academies as soon as possible.
Corbett will have a difficult time getting his budget through without the grandstanding on vouchers.
Unless he also gets legislation that provides local school boards with tools to deal with state funding cuts, Corbett’s delivery on campaign promises will amount to no more than a huge shift to local taxpayers.
Existing state law prohibits furloughing teachers for lack of funds.
The number of teachers in a district can only be reduced because of a decline in enrollment. That needs changed, presumably by July 1.
Collective bargaining has been a right extended to PA public employee unions since 1971.
As the law stands, school districts must bargain to get employees to pay higher contributions for health care.
Existing union contracts require layoffs to be based on seniority and include rules that define hours of work and duties.
Legislation limiting the power of teacher unions must move alongside the budget to prevent big increases in property taxes.
A disservice to taxpayers when State Rep. Jim Marshall's decision to let his aide Craig Conforti continue to collect a state salary while running for political office is very troubling.
One would think that Marshall would be sensitive to the appearance of conflict this situation creates, given that his predecessor is paying a huge price for using tax dollars for partisan political purposes.
Marshall was elected in part because voters are fed up with politics as usual and with ethically questionable behavior of people in positions of public trust.
He should be setting an example in this instance to avoid not only a potential conflict involving his aide, but the mere appearance of a conflict.
Conforti should have done the right thing and resigned his state employment when he became his party's nominee for Beaver County Commissioner.
At the very least, Marshall should put Conforti on an unpaid leave of absence for the remainder of the campaign to avoid even the suggestion of impropriety.
Anything less is a disservice to the taxpayers of Beaver County and Pennsylvania.
Pa. health secretary orders jackets to give official look
Monday, July 11, 2011
By Angela Couloumbis, Philadelphia Inquirer
HARRISBURG -- Stop! In the name of the secretary of health!
Eli N. Avila, Gov. Tom Corbett's secretary of health, has ordered up new blue windbreakers on the taxpayers' dime, with Department of Health emblazoned on the front and back. The windbreakers, for Dr. Avila and his executive staff, also display the state seal on a retractable flap.
In all, the Health Department said, nine of the windbreakers have been ordered, at a cost to the state of $553.82.
Dr. Avila also dipped into his own pocket this year to have a badge made for himself, with Secretary of Health around the state seal -- until Mr. Corbett's office nixed this idea.
Such are the latest actions of a Cabinet member who briefly made news in the spring after his dispute with a Harrisburg diner owner over the freshness of his eggs ended with Dr. Avila allegedly shouting, "Do you know who I am? I am the secretary of health!"
That episode prompted an angry letter to Mr. Corbett from the diner owner's lawyer.
Separately, a state worker complained in writing that an Avila aide had made a stink over the blocking of the health secretary's parking space -- by a bloodmobile.
As secretary of health, Dr. Avila is paid $139,931 and oversees a Health Department with a budget of about $300 million.
In May, his actions became fodder for watercooler talk after The Inquirer and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported the argument with the diner owner over the freshness of the eggs in his egg sandwich.
Weeks after the argument, a city health inspector descended on the diner at Dr. Avila's request. The health secretary later issued a statement saying he had felt a duty to report what he believed were unsanitary cooking conditions.
A separate event in the spring involving Dr. Avila's parking space also set off talk among state employees and prompted one written complaint.
On May 10, a bloodmobile from the Central Pennsylvania Blood Bank was parked in front of the state's Health and Welfare building in Harrisburg, apparently impinging on Dr. Avila's designated space.
In the complaint, a Department of Public Welfare employee told of having been in line to give blood when an aide from Dr. Avila's office arrived and insisted the bloodmobile back up so the aide could park Dr. Avila's car in his space.
This aide "was rather unpleasant to the bloodmobile employees and told them that no one had gotten the secretary's permission to use his space and they were not permitted to use it," said a copy of the complaint obtained by The Inquirer.
Ms. Cronkright said Dr. Avila would not comment on the complaint.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11192/1159631-454-3.stm#ixzz1RmAvfEOE
At least two Democrats from Eastern Pennsylvania have declared their candidacy for Attorney General.
Former two-term U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy
Former Lackawanna County prosecutor, Kathleen Kane.
Jenkintown lawyer Dan McCaffery, brother of Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Seamus McCaffery.
The Republican Party, which has held the Attorney General's office since it became an elective office in 1980.
Washington County District Attorney Steven Toprani.
Third-term state Sen. John Rafferty, a former deputy attorney general from the Philadelphia suburbs.
Leroy Zimmerman's Son-In-Law, Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed confirmed he is seeking the GOP nod.
We are still waiting for some response from Mr. Marshall and Mr. Conforti, as well as some editorial comment from the Newspapers on these issues.
Their silence is deafening.
Should we still be on pins and needles awaiting the results of the AG's investigation into the 4 legislative caucuses? If he is investigating the 2004-2006 years, like with Veon, when does the statute of limitations run out? Or, following the evidence wherever it may go, maybe they could find no political work being done by Senators or staff in either the R or D caucus. I just want them to say 1 way ior the other. I believe this 4 caucus investigation has been going on for 5 years now. Is that correct?
Anonymous said...I believe this 4 caucus investigation has been going on for 5 years now. Is that correct?.......July 13, 2011 11:49 AM
Tom Corbett is actually the first Attorney General that used Grand Juries to look like he was investigating many people but in reality once campaign contributions came to his Governor Campaign many of these Grand Juries have just disappeared.
What needs to be investigative is the PA OAG for being used to make Tom Corbett Governor since nothing has been reported on the Senate Caucus for over 5 years?????
Maybe it depends on who you know? WHTM reports the so called city revolving loan program in Harrisburg (more like a nonrevolving grant) for years lent out fed and state funds to private business ventures, many of which never actually got started, quickly failed or never created promised jobs. Seems most loans are in default. Some never paid a single payment. On at least one occassion they gave a 2nd loan to someone who didn't pay their 1st. The program required a Board publicly vote on loans, but the loans weren't presented to them. Apparently there was no written criteria. Mayor Reed (Democrat who endorsed Corbett) says he had nothing to do with those decisions, never knew anything was wrong. The Director of the city office giving out the loans says neither did he. Maybe it was the janitor! Perhaps we'll never know since lots of the files, financial records and computer info was "lost" or deleted.
So far as we know, no official investigation. Maybe tied up on that Senate investigation.
l Gov. Tom Corbett is the latest GOP gov’nah “that voters are having significant buyers remorse about,” says Public Policy Polling.
Corbett’s approval rating is 35 percent, and voters said they’d choose Democratic Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato (47 to 44 percent) if they had an election do-over.
This is why you’re supposed to pay attention before an election.
'Now this is not the end. It is not even the begining of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.'
You have to admire the Republican Ruling Elite in Harrisburg.
In the midst of asking sacrifices of virtually everyone in the state, from workers and teachers taking pay freezes to cuts in public services, Republican Lawmakers managed to obscure the fact that they took care of themselves first.
Consider the following budgetary nuggets, courtesy of Tim Potts of Democracy Rising Pennsylvania:
The line item “Senators’ Salaries” shows an increase of 6.2 percent, increasing the cost from $6,340,000 to $6,734,000, now did not the Republican Senators run a smaller government platform?
Over in the Republican Majority House, there’s a 44.9 percent increase in “Members’ Compensation,” increasing the cost from $17,656,000 to $25,584,000, is this smaller government?
Two points to make.
First, while workers have been asked to forego pay hikes, Republican Lawmakers still intend to take theirs.
Second, some will make a big show about donating their raises to charity.
Don’t be fooled.
The increase still factors in their fabulous pensions.
Want more?
The Republican House plans a 25.8 percent increase in “Caucus Operations,” going from $75.9 million this year to $95.5 million next year.
There’s an unexplained 402 percent increase for the Senate Appropriations Committee from $498,000 to $2,498,000; and a 182 percent increase in the Commonwealth Mail Processing Center (so they can send you all those colorful newsletters telling you what a great job they’re doing).
The mail processing center falls under the budget category of state government support agencies, which largely function to serve the Legislature.
Funding for those agencies saw an overall increase of 97.8 percent.
Democracy Rising added up all the sacrifices being made by the Senate, House and their support agencies and determined the net is a cut of 1/10th of 1 percent, or $474,000.
Republican Lawmakers did manage, though, to agree on a 10.1 percent cut in the budget of the State Ethics Commission.
Honestly, you can’t make this stuff up, but the Republicans keeps rolling along.
Today's Phila Inquirer (7/20) reports LeRoy Zimmernman has apparently freezed his compensation for his very parttime work as a member of the Hershey Trust (nonprofit) Board to just over $500,000 a year. That's what he cleared annually the last 2 years; which is not bad considering he was appointed 9 years ago at a pay of $35,000. That's just in pay, who knows what other benefits, junkets or perks come with it. But not to be concerned, the AG office publicly announced they were investigating about 2 years ago. A report may be anticipated right after indictments for State Senators in the 4 caucus legislartive investigation begun 5 years ago.
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