[Rachel Manzo] is "perhaps the least involved and least culpable" of the Bonusgate defendants who have appeared before [Dauphin County Common Pleas Judge Richard Lewis]. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 8/10/11)All due respect, Your Honor, but how the hell would you know?
You never heard one word of testimony or laid eyes on a single piece of evidence in the Commonwealth's 12-count felony case against Mrs. Manzo. Is there a crystal ball hidden beneath those robes? Or do you just feel somehow that she was the "least involved?"
What we really want to know is how you can say that someone who pleaded guilty to involvement in a crime was "less involved and less culpable" than people who were actually found not guilty of that same crime?
And everyone's buying it?
The problem here is everyone knows that the charges against Mrs. Manzo were withdrawn in exchange for her husband's testimony. Not her own - she never testified in the case. But prosecutors for some reason can't admit that they used charges against one person to leverage testimony from another. Instead, Chief Deputy Attorney General Frank Fina mumbles some unproveable nonsense about providing investigators with valuable information - so valuable, apparently, that it never was entered as evidence in a courtroom anywhere on this planet.
Fina admits that Mrs. Manzo participated in "a plan to distribute more than $1.8 million in tax dollars to House Democratic staffers as rewards for campaign work." She pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor theft charge in connection with that "plan."
Yet every staff member who went to trial on charges related to that "plan" was found not guilty of those charges. Maybe Judge Lewis forgot that they were acquitted?
Either Gubernatorial Candidate Tom Corbett erroneously charged Mrs. Manzo with 12 unwarranted felony counts, or he believed she was guilty of serious crimes and let her off for reasons other than her own lack of culpability.
If the former is true, the prosecutor screwed up. If the latter is true, the judge screwed up. But no one seems to be owning up to either one. The fact that neither the judge nor the prosecutor can admit the truth about Mrs. Manzo's deal speaks volumes.
Rachel went from $49,00o to $89,000 in one year?
ReplyDeleteSenate Aides that got the biggest Bonuses got huge salaries by Corbett at the OAG when he was suppose to be investigating them?
Judge Lewis is simply wrong and in time may regret his participation.
She was promoted because she slept with, dated and then married Mike Manzo.
ReplyDeleteShe was talentless otherwise, although her being humiliated by her husband was priceless.
Manzo was the main culprit on this entire mess, not Veon, not DeWeese, and Eachus instructed him, yet Eachus was given a target letter but never targeted.
ReplyDeleteRachel Manzo is tending bar these days, this was the highest position she should ever have, her judgment of others was only exceeded by her lack of judgment within herself.
Couples and Husband and Wives along with relatives begging for jobs they cannot perform never should be hired or work at that same organization, it is recipe for disaster.
Other employees never accept it and report on everything they do, Frank Lagrotta found that out the hard way.
Mike Manzo instead of taking full responsibility as he should have became a coward instead and went from puppet master of power to an impotent man of a mice or rat.
Well, get me a drink!
ex-House Speaker John Perzel is surrounded by the data and his own relatives, look for a Plea from him in a few days.
ReplyDeleteTold he has been given a sweet deal to remain quiet among Republicans in the Commonwealth just like Bob Asher did and now the Republican Convicted Felon King Maker of none other than Tom Corbett.
John will go that route, accept his plea, keep his pension, and replace Bob Asher for Future Fund prosperity of, by, and for the Grand Old Party!
Unfortunately, someone else will have to take the fall and most likely target will be Perzel's Chief of Staff.
Unlike Manzo the PAOAG is treating with velvet gloves that has yet to be sentenced, but his wife walked into a beautiful deal arrange by William Ward, Corbett's Chief of Staff with the advice and consent of Judge Lewis.
PA SUPREME COURT REPUBLICAN MAJORITY
ReplyDeleteSUPERIOR COURT REPUBLICAN MAJORITY
COMMONWEALTH COURT REPUBLICAN MAJORITY
ATTORNEY GENERAL REPUBLICAN
GOVERNOR REPUBLICAN
SENATE REPUBLICAN
HOUSE REPUBLICAN
ATTORNEY DISCIPLINE BOARD
REPUBLICAN
HERSHEY TRUST REPUBLICAN
Justice is seen in onoly one party and injustice doled by only one because no one can take them on and have a proper investigation?
Don't for a moment think Mike Manzo will be treated with any special sensitivity - he will go to jail, perhaps for a couple of years. Do you really think the AG could go along with a deal that allowed Perzel to keep his pension? I don't think so. Nor do I imagine he will avoid significant jail time, with or without a deal.
ReplyDeleteRachel sure did get off lightly, as did Jen Brubaker,but at least 5 of the convicted (Mike Manzo included)lost pensions (Veon included). Those were golden parachutes for life,losses of potentially a million+. Don't see any deal ever that doesn't include forfeiting pensions for DeWeese, Perzel, Feese, Stetler or Preski. Never.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Rachel used any of her "skills" to work out a better plea agreement for her and her scumbag hubby?
ReplyDeletePaul Towhey Jr., one-time chief of staff to former state House Speaker John Perzel, this morning became the third Republican defendant to plead guilty in the so-called Computergate public corruption case.
ReplyDeleteTowhey, 40, of Plymouth Meeting, pleaded guilty to single felony counts of conflict of interest and conspiracy before Dauphin County Judge Richard A. Lewis.
He could face up to 5 years in prison on each count and risks forfeiting his state pension.
Senior Deputy Attorney General Kenneth Brown said Towhey's plea is open, meaning he has no sentencing deal with the prosecution.
Brown said the plea agreement calls for Towhey to cooperate with prosecutors and testify against the other defendants in the case, including Perzel and former state Rep. Brett Feese of Lycoming County.
Anonymous said... I wonder if Rachel used any of her "skills" to work out a better plea agreement for her and her scumbag hubby?August 19, 2011 9:52 AM
ReplyDeleteCannot answer that question, but her Attorney William Ward used his special relationship with the Governor to get her a sweetheart deal, wonder if Ward has a relationship with her?
Mike Manzo is walking pretty free these days making mucho dollars as a Lobbyists as allow by the Attorney General's Office without sentencing him.
ReplyDeleteHe will be given a very light sentence as part of the Deal with William Ward's doing it for Rachel.
Remember, it these two and the Brubakers that used emails to rate state workers as campaign workers to decide the amount of bonuses, and after being caught, agreed to in return testify to blame it on Veon, Cott, and Rosepink.
The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and Judge Lewis will be light on Manzo, after all he has made more money as a Lobbyists at this time than his entire Pension.
Thank You Bob Asher School of Lobbying before and after Prison!
When one political party controls all branches of government and refuses to investigate complaints and possible crimes, this is what happens.
ReplyDeleteA team of college and law school professors with expertise in labor law has arrived in Hershey this afternoon.
The professors are conducting interviews with foreign students who claim they are being taken advantage of through a cultural exchange program.
The independent commission is speaking to media, then holding private meetings with students from around the globe who are in the country legally as part of the federal J-1 visa program. The J-1 visa is a summer work and travel program that puts about 120,000 students from foreign universities in work situations in the United States.
Professors include, among others, Sarah Paoletti, director of University of Pennsylvania's Transnational Legal Clinic, Stephanie Luce, professor of labor studies at the Murphy Institute, City University of New York, and Colleen Breslin, a teaching fellow with Villanova Law School’s Farmworker Legal Aid Clinic.
Anonymous said... When one political party controls all branches of government and refuses to investigate complaints and possible crimes, this is what happens.....August 19, 2011 2:40 PM
ReplyDeleteUsing the words of fictional OB1...."This Is Our Only Hope."
You cannot depend on any oversight or checks or balances with Holder's Fed DOJ they are just appointing the Federal Marshall this week after 3 years in office.
In one year, they will be gone and the Washington with be run by a Republican President, Congress, Senate and AG-DOJ, leaving it for open season to on more Democratic Lawmakers.
Add in total Re-Districting with Reublican Majority coming this year and it is doubtful any balance of powers will come in to seek Justice.
I feel we are on a path of a great abyss and grass roots groups like the one in Hershey with Academic/Professional muscle behind them is are only hope.
And that ain't much compared to Marcelleous Shale Money feeding the Beast!
Are these deals with Perzel GOP staffers taking their state pensions? Lots of Dem staffers lost them. For many long time employees losing their pension is worst imagineable punishment, understandably. Stokes (Perzel's b-in-law)is in late 60s; he counted on his pension. On the other hand if he was a ghost emplioyee he didn't earn it. Lawmakers like Perzel or Veon can get pensions worth over a million $ -staffers aren't far behind.
ReplyDeleteIn the words of Don Vito, Corbett's a pimp - during his self service as Attorney General, he basically spent his time fishing in a bucket but used the catch & release method for any meaningful Republican bad actors.
ReplyDeleteSo far he has only 2 convictions and any other "wins" were plea bargains - that's not lawyering, it's chicken shit prosecution by fear and the defendant's lack of staying power.
We've seen recent stories about former Speaker Perzel and his staff - the staffers plead, but Perzel fights on because he has "staying power" or better defined as money to pay for his defense. Don't be suprized if he walks.
What about the others - current Speaker Sam Smith knowingly signed on to the contracts and other illegal republican caucus activities - is he going to be charged too?
What about current Majority Leader Turzai - he was also part of that scandal and he was the master of the "political-like robo calls" paid for with caucus funds and other "political-like activities (ie" newsletters, district forums, special leadership mailings, etc)" for his republican members.
This entire prosecution has been democratic focused to quash the people's agenda and in retaliation against Gov. Rendell. Like him or not (and I was never his biggest fan), Gov. Rendell was able to move his agenda through in the earliest years with a republican majority in the house and senate and his the second term with a democrat house but still with the republican senate's consent.
It always comes back to following the money - Turzai and Smith do not have clean hands and don't forget Eachus.
When you say, Thus far he has only two convictions...obviously you are passing on the 10 guilty pleas. But those 2 convictions - Veon, Rosepink and Cott, somehow seem like more than 2.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said... When you say, Thus far he has only two convictions...obviously you are passing on the 10 guilty pleas. But those 2 convictions - Veon, Rosepink and Cott, somehow seem like more than 2. August 22, 2011 8:53 AM
ReplyDeleteTherefore, you are saying just 3 people responsible for all the bonuses but not one Republican House or Senate person.
Perzel indicted on misuse of computers.
You expect the public can believe just 3 people responsible for all the Republican Bonuses too???
Farfetched fictional justice if that is true.
Shame on anyone bragging about that kind of selective prosecution.
How Corbett could hire the highest bonus, paid Republican Aides of Senators he was suppose to be investigating in nothing short of crystal clear corruption not just by him, but every Investigator, Prosecutor, and Staffers at the Pennsylvania Attorney General Offices.
Shame on all of you and this kind of karma will come back to haunt all of you that participated in the name justice only in the windmills of your corrupt minds.
None of your children will ever be proud of you because none of you have the courage to walk tall.
If you were as honest as you claim, then more House and Senate Members would have been included, but you chose corruption not justice for the commonwealth and the people.
Prosecution Misconduct can never be called a success when you did not follow the evidence on others just covered it up.
You betrayed your oath, law school morals, and your profession and now yourself and your families.
May God Forgive You Souls for destroying the spirit of justice for all.
And even worse keep these injustices in play and tell yourselves you are doing the right thing.
Inside, if you take a pause of true spirituality knowing you must face your maker and account you will find you should have stood up to Corbett's Campaign Apparatus of seeking pure poltical power and exposed his injustices, instead of being part of them.
You should be ashamed and somehow it will fall back on you in the natural law of justice being used for power, it will grow out of control and engulf all that went along, you shall see, and you know dep in your hearts, I am speaking the truth.
To Anonymous said...August 22, 2011 8:53 AM
ReplyDeleteHow can you claim that 3 convictions and 10 Guilty Pleas are a success when it only happens in the Democratic House Caucus?
Where is the investigation on the Bonuses paid in the Republican House Caucus?
Where is the investigation on the Bonuses paid in the Republican Senate Caucus?
Where is the investigation on the Bonuses paid in the Democratic Senate Caucus?
Where is the investigation on the Bonuses paid by Former Senator Jubelirer and Senator Brightbill who authorized the highest payout of bonuses?
What happen to the target Grand Jury Investigation on Former Majority Leader Todd Eachus?
How the can the so-called good people at the Attorney Generals Public Corruption Unit be so blind, cavalier, and outright ignoring these investigations?
How can Attorney General Kelly pledge to finish the current pending corruption trials without pledging to finish the Grand Jury Investigations on the Senator?
None of this makes sense anymore.
It looks like the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office have been complicit on fixing a cover up of some political friends and persecuting others as perceived enemies.
If this continues in this unjustified fashion there is but one inescable conclusion.
They are part of the corruption and will contnue the corruption beyond what they claim is within the legislature.
Despite its status as a revered political prosecution that takes place every 10 years, but is not entirely without its critics.
ReplyDeleteAlthough noting its deterrence achievements for now and possible reforms later, the entire process has a right to be criticized.
What I have read and saw is flawed, unequal, lack of emotional depth, and shallow characterization in every one of the Grand Jury Presentments, making it more a Prosecution Misconduct model to be investigated by people of goodwill to get nearer to the truth.
The Grand Jury Presentments were full of investigative errors, refusal to look at exculpatory evidence and outright misuse of empty metaphors, meant to inflame the reader or Grand Jurors.
It has to Lists among the most overrated works within Justice Community History.
The investigations can be accused of being "An All-American Triumph Of Style Over Substance ruining many lives that could have been corrected with mere ethic sanctions and repayments.
The subsequent trials have been total bores and claims that the performances are worthless of so-called Men of Law for a Prosecution for pure power ascendancy by a lazy, non-responsive, and far from participating Attorney General just to become Governor with maximum influence of using fear to get his way.
BonusGate now how it is looked upon, by doing less not more investigations, and protecting political allies, former convicted felons, and outright criminals can be nonetheless called as "Infinitely Overrated."
Similarly, at first the Media coverage was never good asking the right questions of the Prosecutors.
The failure to investigate high elite Bi-Partisan Senators and not one Republican House Member was nothing to write to Moscow about, the acting of jurors caring about true justice was middling, and the whole thing a little dull, unfair, and criminal in its own scope of who was avoided and selected for investigations.
Now we witness Attorney General Kelly's high-brow direction is of that super-clever order which prevents the public or press from seeing what that is being politically directed is all about without the honor of living up to the code of morality into the decadency of choosing to participate in cover ups over reforms.
In the end, any AG, DAG, Investigator or Lawyer being part of this tragedy of justice will regret their lives, legacy, and spirit of public service as a montage to collapse time and space where only a medicine bottle and a glass with a spoon in it will release the culpability of pain from this life.
After the Bonusgate story broke, Corbett should have called the four caucus leaders over and gave them one last warning.
ReplyDeleteAfter that, prosecution should have been fair game.
But in my mind, it wasn't fair to cherrypick prosecutions for crimes that literally everyone on the hill either committed or knew about.
Politicking was part of the legislative job and culture for decades. It's shameful that Corbett got to use these prosecutions to intimidate, selectively attack and ruin people's careers and lives.
And by the way, what the hell is Brett Cott doing in jail?
Anonymous said...And by the way, what the hell is Brett Cott doing in jail? August 23, 2011 10:18 AM
ReplyDeleteExactly, especially no Senate Aides that worked for Corbett's Campaign was not even investigated and got the largest bonuses from state payroll, on state time, for state campaigns?
Judges play politics just as any politician, there nomination, election, and retention is tied to politics.
ReplyDeleteYet, today we witness the last vestiges of once Powerful Senator Vince Fumo's lost of political power no matter how wealthy in money or contacts.
The Judiciary has no memory of favors when it comes to understanding the duplicity of being immune from the bench.
Very doubtful Vince will see a brighter day now, looking at 20 years or more with 137 counts conviction.
Former Congressman Trificante from Youngstown, learned that lesson serving 9 years of a 9 years sentence, for speaking out too loud on fellow congressional representative, and not remaining quiet.
True political power wears out those that do not have it, being let out of prison at the age of 69, is like spading a dog, it cannot no longer hunt and sleeps most of the time, until death releases its spirit.
Impotent with money is still impotent and Manzo knows all about that today, to the relief of Mrs. Manzo fortune with William Ward by her side today?
Fumo is as good as gone as forgotten.
ITEM
Court throws out ex-Pa. senator Fumo's sentence
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA -- A U.S. appeals court has thrown out the 55-month corruption sentence of a former Pennsylvania state senator.
The appeals court agreed with prosecutors that U.S. District Judge Ronald Buckwalter did not explain why he sentenced Vincent Fumo far below federal sentencing guidelines. The court also upheld Mr. Fumo's conviction in the ruling that was issued today.
A jury in 2009 convicted the Philadelphia Democrat of defrauding the state Senate, a museum and a South Philadelphia nonprofit of millions. He had been a wealthy power broker during his 30-year state Senate career.
He is incarcerated at a federal prison in Kentucky.
Prosecutors backed a pre-sentencing investigation by the federal probation office that recommended a sentence of 21 years and 10 months to 27 years and three months for Fumo.
ReplyDeleteThe judge rejected that analysis and, at one point, came up with a recommended sentence of 10 years and one month to 12 years and seven months.
At sentencing, the judge further reduced that to four years and seven months.
Although Kentucky is beautiful this time of year, for a minute there, I had to check to see that I wasn't reading The Onion.
ReplyDeleteYou mean to tell me that in this City of Brotherly Connections, Fumo might actually get a sentence based on his crimes? Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus.
Maybe it was a simple typo, and should have been 55 years. When you compare everything Fumo did compared to Rick Mariano the Fumo sentencing makes no sense. Everyone knew Buckwalter was in Fumo's camp.
Fumo was so arrogant and thought he was above the law. Eventually, every dog has their day in court!!
Fumo was no better than any other hardened criminal and the Republican Governor Campaign Men, PAAGOAG Deputy Prosecutors and Investigators are the same way now.
Justice may yet prevail.
It is sad, such a talented man such as Vince Fumo that was born with a silver spoon life, resorted to underhanded, bullying, and outright fraud on misusing, abusing, and hurting his party, his family, his colleagues’, constituents, commonwealth, charities, children, district, city, and himself.
ReplyDeleteNow he hurt the Judge’s reputation and career that did a favor for him, when favors can no longer be relevant, the Judge deserves discipline as well for participating in such a favor!
This is what the Republicans have walked into with the bullying, misconduct, and outright one-sided agenda for political power not justice nor reforms.
When you go after perceived or known crime, all Prosecutors and Investigators must do, is do it fairly, with wise judgment, considering the evidence as opposed to the accusations, and not for popularity, or campaigns, or for bosses, and or another agenda not consistent with true justice.
Attorney General Kelly should have reviewed all pending cases looking how the Grand Jury Presentments were conducted, prepared in foul language intimidation offices, presented the evidence, ignored exculpatory evidence, and were written for a political purpose not for justice with many errors and misnomers by the former OAG staffers.
Instead, in just a few days after her appointment she said she would pursue the pending cases without the necessary justice review required by any new Attorney General looking to be fair or prudent from the outset of own her reign of accountability.
Yet, she also concluded she would not pursue further investigations of other House or Senate Bonus Gate cases clearly defined in the very Grand Jury reports she did not read or evaluate?
This is clearly empirical evidence of contradictions resulting in a bias political view not a proper justice review.
This is how one looking to do a good honorable job is caught up trying to please her boss that appointed her in this Governor.
And politicos glad they will not be investigated for approval of her confirmation.
If the Bonus Gate Investigations are over but current cases pending will be pursued, it makes no sense, it smells of outright persecutions not prosecutions.
This is the time to stand up to what Corbett’s Old OAG did and did not do, make changes at the OAG for those that made mistakes or did commit Prosecution Misconduct, or felt intimidated by senator aides that were suppose to being investigated not working at the OAG.
This is not the time to follow in lock step, and join the parade that will end in a Fumo fate.
True justice eventually caught Fumo and true justice will capture and confine those Republicans, professional Staffers, and Campaign Agenda Aides for doing the same thing Fumo did when he was in power.
I agree with Anonymous August 24, 2011 3:48 AM.
ReplyDeletePower Corrupts And Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely.
Today, there is no check on Republican Power in the Commonwealth as an above post points out, but that does not mean there will not be one tomorrow, just ask Fumo.
Beware Attorney General Kelly, you should conduct an Independent Review with your own people of the one-sided unfairness Corbett’s Campaign Aides thrust upon the Professionals at PAOAG or refused to look at exculpatory evidence that will result in acquittals.
Once the Republican Campaign Aides beckons you to enter their web of sins for political power, do not go in, and no matter how many golden words they will pour in your ears because investigations built on half-truths cannot disguise what you will fear inside when you realize you were lied to for someone else’s agenda.
Instead, let “Fumo Bullying Tactics & Practices, “be a warning of what could come to oneself when the truth crushed into the earth only rises again.
If there, is no longer a need to pursue House and Senate Members of both Political Parties on Bonus Gate.....or Ethical Violations of staffers being directed in both parties for elections both of which can be corrected with Ethical Admissions and Taxpayers Payback of the bonuses by witnesses....Then do the right thing.
Avoid seeing one-sided justice come back to blind side the view kept from you on purpose but will sack you in the end.
Attorney General Kelly is violating one of the Golden Rules of Newly Assumed Power, “Never Take Over Something You Did Not Create Or Investigate. Once You Do, You Own It, And It Owns You To Do Things You Never Would Imagine.”
Because when it falls apart you end up with the blame and no one listens to your own cries of injustice
Just ask Scooter Libby or read the The Strong Man: John Mitchell and the Secrets of Watergate!
Vince will be given a new sentence but in the meantime he has the money to pay the fines and court costs and that would go a long way to having a more fair sentence, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteHow much more would be up to the same Judge and this time he will follow the guidelines. I do not feel it will be 20+ years but it will be more than the 4 he gave, and so be it.
Bob Asher the Republican Lobbyists and now King maker of Tom Corbett's Campaign for Governor was convicted of the same crimes and came home after just after 5 years and is now the most powerful lobbyist in Harrisburg.
Do we want ASHER and FUMO ruling Harrisburg from money they can raise to elect new leaders?
I think we can do better and want to do better than having convicted felons choose the Commonwealth Leadership, what kind of message does that send to our children???
DO THE CRIME BECOME EVEN RICHER WHEREBY ATTORNEY GENERALS COME TO YOU MAKE THEM GOVERNORS?
This is what Corbett did all the while he was running for Governor being advised and given money from a convicted felon, but claiming to be stopping corruption, as Asher got back at his political foes.
If Convicted Felon Republican Bob Asher convicted of perjury, racketeering, conspiracy and bribery in connection with a state contract award that led to the suicide of Robert Budd Dwyer on National TV, served only one year in federal prison, why not Fumo?
ReplyDeleteToday, Bob Asher is Pennsylvania's Committee member on the Republican National Committee and provided the money to Attorney General Corbett's campaign when he was suppose to be investigating public corruption?
The first person Governor Elect thanked on his winning election night was Bob Asher, who maintains a close relationship with Tom Ridge, John Perzel, and many members of the Senate of Pennsylvania.
He is known for being a successful fundraiser for Republican candidates, but neither Attorney General Corbett nor newly appointed Attorney General Kelly, ever investigated the senators aides on Bonusgate bonuses even though they were given the highest bonuses.
Corbett in fact, upon Bob Ashers advice actually hired the same Republican Senator Aides for jobs at the OAG that the OAG Investigators and Prosecutors were suppose to be investigating, how can that happen?
So, if Republicans can go to jail for corruption and serve just 1 year and become Kingmakers of Attorney Generals into Governors, why not Fumo in the future?
Attorney General Kelly needs to be her own woman and review pending bogus bonus gate and state corruption independently to see if political influence caused these indictments in a selective way, and drop those cases to ethical violations, whereby all that took bonuses must pay them back to the treasury or then be charged.
If not, Pennsylvania will continue to be run by convicted felons such as Bob Asher and Vince Fumo!
Not too late to vote for the Worst Governor at www.worstgovernorever.com
ReplyDeleteRegarding the reference to Former Felon and US Attorney General Mitchell, I am surprised it came up here.
ReplyDeleteFew know that John Mitchell was one of the most conscientious man in the Nixon administration and celebrated for his tough law-and-order policies, school-desegregation efforts, and hard line but fair prosecution against leftist radicals.
All while bearing the burden of his wife alcoholic collapse and gibbering late-night phone calls to reporters.
In the book, after a painstaking and comprehensively follow a line of investigations study of Mitchell's Watergate role, the author actually absolved Mitchell of ordering any kind of break-in and the charges leveled against him were proved false.
Very similiar to Mike Veon and Brett Cott never ordering any state employees to work on state campaigns without state slips proving it was comp time.
John Mitchell was a force for propriety and was framed by others—especially White House counsel John Dean.
Just like the Manzo's, Brubakers, and Sidela doing crimes without their bosses consent, and Todd EWachus that ran the operation escapes even an investigation like the senators.
Mitchell's integrity and reverence for the law clash with his accounts of the man's misdeeds, undermining the Paris peace talks, suborning and committing perjury, tolerating the criminal scheming in Nixon's White House and re-election campaign.
Mitchell may have blanched at the Nixon administration's sleazy intrigues, but he seems not to have risen above them due to being loyal to his politics instead of the constitution.
The same will happen to a number Republican Elites especially as the underlings start to talk in the need for immunity.
Silence has never been a one party trait, once jail bars arise, tongue wags faster than any dog tales or tails of honor.
The tail never wags the dogs just gets them into trouble more today or tomorrow, if those in power now do not heed the warnings of those seeking to control something they themselves will be splash on later as being called crooks.
General Kelly, do the right thing, conduct an independent investigation of how only a few were selected for political persecutions by prosecution, by a OAG Saff taking orders from Bob Asher's political minions given jobs at the OAG by Corbett.
Stand tall before such evidence make you fall too.
Love them or hate them, we cannot do without judges.
ReplyDeleteAt question is the best way of filling the bench when some Judges bring the Appearance of Impropriety to issue over conduct outside the ethical guidelines such as what happen in the Fumo sentencing.
Special Interest of big law firms with bigger money is devoted to judicial missteps including a judge’s 6-year delay in entering judgment in a civil matter and a judge stopping a trial to marry the alleged abuser and his victim.
Add in the familiarity of judges with prosecutors being given passes and the collusion between them starts to look more like kids for cash corruption.
This can clearly be seen in the Bonus Gate Trials whereby is a prosecutors at the OAG became truly a minister of justice and not simply an advocate.
There needs to be restoration of confidence in our judicial practices and infrastructure is more important than ever in this day of political power rising off of doing what is popular more than finding the truth.
Professionalism and training standards for Prosecutors and Judges need examined with an eye to prosecutor’s role in instances of wrongful prosecution and incarceration.
Major emphasis is devoted to prosecutorial misconduct at the federal and state levels.
Intentional prosecutorial misconduct of Michael B. Nifong is just one example and soon the Bonus Gate Investigations are another for anew-additional light to be shed on future prosecutorial discretion and indiscretion.
It must be done with the best means of addressing these issues of whether is it the election or selection of judges.
One other good point to start is to examine Caperton vs. Massey under the microscope along with what happen in the Fumo sentencing favoritism.
Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct.
ReplyDeletePolitical dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition.
Power is not alluring to pure minds.
Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories.
Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.
I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.
Thomas Jefferson
Love them or hate them, we cannot do without judges.
ReplyDeleteAt question is the best way of filling the bench when some Judges bring the Appearance of Impropriety to issue over conduct outside the ethical guidelines such as what happen in the Fumo sentencing.
Special Interest of big law firms with bigger money is devoted to judicial missteps including a judge’s 6-year delay in entering judgment in a civil matter and a judge stopping a trial to marry the alleged abuser and his victim.
Add in the familiarity of judges with prosecutors being given passes and the collusion between them starts to look more like kids for cash corruption.
This can clearly be seen in the Bonus Gate Trials whereby is a prosecutors at the OAG became truly a minister of justice and not simply an advocate.
There needs to be restoration of confidence in our judicial practices and infrastructure is more important than ever in this day of political power rising off of doing what is popular more than finding the truth.
Professionalism and training standards for Prosecutors and Judges need examined with an eye to prosecutor’s role in instances of wrongful prosecution and incarceration.
Major emphasis must be devoted to prosecutorial misconduct at the federal and state levels.
Intentional prosecutorial misconduct of Michael B. Nifong is just one example and soon the Bonus Gate Investigations are another for anew-additional light to be shed on future prosecutorial discretion and indiscretion.
It must be done with the best means of addressing these issues of whether is it the election or selection of judges.
One other good point to start is to examine Caperton vs. Massey under the microscope along with what happen in the Fumo sentencing favoritism.
Regarding the reference to Former Felon and US Attorney General Mitchell, I am surprised it came up here.
ReplyDeleteFew know that John Mitchell was one of the most conscientious man in the Nixon administration and celebrated for his tough law-and-order policies, school-desegregation efforts, and hard line but fair prosecution against leftist radicals. All while bearing the burden of his wife alcoholic collapse and gibbering late-night phone calls to reporters.
After all painstaking and comprehensively follow a line of investigations study of Mitchell's Watergate role, actually absolved him of ordering any kind of break-in and the charges leveled against him were proved false.
John Mitchell was a force for propriety and was framed by others—especially White House counsel John Dean. Mitchell's integrity and reverence for the law clash with his accounts of the man's misdeeds: undermining the Paris peace talks, suborning and committing perjury, tolerating the criminal scheming in Nixon's White House and re-election campaign.
Mitchell may have blanched at the Nixon administration's sleazy intrigues, but he seems not to have risen above them due to being loyal to his politics instead of the constitution.
The same will happen to a number Republican Elites especially as the underlings start to talk in the need for immunity. Silence has never been a one party trait, once jail bars arise, tongue wags faster than any dog tales of honor.
The tail never wags the dogs just gets them into trouble more today or tomorrow, if those in power now do not heed the warnings of those seeking to control something they themselves will be splash on later as being called crooks.
Did anyone notice that then Atty Gen Corbett (now Gov. Corbett) was and is no where to be found in any of the court rooms when any of the so called bonus gate criminals are or were in court?
ReplyDeleteHe certainly was at the grandstand podium when the charges were handed out but never in court. Does he even know how to be a court room lawyer or is this just another revelation of his incompetence and political grandstanding to get elected Governor?
Reacting to the news that Welfare Secretary Gary Alexander formed a limited liability company in Rhode Island last month, Sen. Pat Vance, R-Cumberland County, said she immediately put in a request for a meeting with Alexander.
ReplyDelete"I was surprised. He evidently formed this LLC a week or so after he was confirmed," said Vance, who chairs the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee.
Alexander told Gov. Tom Corbett's press secretary Kevin Harley on Thursday that he planned to use the Greenville, R.I.-based company called Smart Alex Consulting LLC as a vehicle for acquiring rental properties. But that is baffling to Vance.
"I don't pretend to be a lawyer so I don't know if it's necessary to form a LLC to buy and sell real estate but why, if you are buying and selling real estate, why does one call it a consulting company?" Vance said.
Harley said Alexander does not plan to do any consulting work while he held his Cabinet post.
Sen. Shirley Kitchen, D-Philadelphia, voiced concern about Alexander's latest venture along with his permitted use of driving his state-assigned car to Rhode Island, where he owns a house and his family has been living. She planned to call on Vance to investigate it further.
Vance said she shares Kitchen's concerns about both matters and wants to hear from the secretary directly about what his plans are.
"We have some important decisions to be made in welfare and he has almost unprecedented powers that were given to him to cut large amounts of money in welfare spending," Vance said.
"I think it probably needs his undivided attention."
Reacting to the news that Welfare Secretary Gary Alexander formed a limited liability company in Rhode Island last month, Sen. Pat Vance, R-Cumberland County, said she immediately put in a request for a meeting with Alexander.
"I was surprised. He evidently formed this LLC a week or so after he was confirmed," said Vance, who chairs the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee.
Alexander told Gov. Tom Corbett's press secretary Kevin Harley on Thursday that he planned to use the Greenville, R.I.-based company called Smart Alex Consulting LLC as a vehicle for acquiring rental properties. But that is baffling to Vance.
"I don't pretend to be a lawyer so I don't know if it's necessary to form a LLC to buy and sell real estate but why, if you are buying and selling real estate, why does one call it a consulting company?" Vance said.
Harley said Alexander does not plan to do any consulting work while he held his Cabinet post.
Sen. Shirley Kitchen, D-Philadelphia, voiced concern about Alexander's latest venture along with his permitted use of driving his state-assigned car to Rhode Island, where he owns a house and his family has been living. She planned to call on Vance to investigate it further.
Vance said she shares Kitchen's concerns about both matters and wants to hear from the secretary directly about what his plans are.
"We have some important decisions to be made in welfare and he has almost unprecedented powers that were given to him to cut large amounts of money in welfare spending," Vance said. "I think it probably needs his undivided attention."
One cannot serve TWO MASTERS according to Christian Coalition unless Jesus was wrong.
This just looks bad, does not pass the smell tests, and in spite of Governor's Corbett potty mouth Harley defense it is perfectly legal it is still an example of someone that wants to become a Businessman in the Private Sector while earning money in the Public Sector.
Last fall, when Tom Corbett and the Republicans swept into complete control of the government in Pennsylvania.
ReplyDeleteWe knew things could get ugly. But "ugly" is a polite word for
what we've seen.
The scariest part is, these right-wing extremists are pushing for even more.
In states across the country, Republicans are calling "special
sessions" to ram through even deeper budget cuts and partisan
redistricting maps that will lock in GOP dominance for years to come.
The only thing I see is the need to promote grassroots muscle and Internet organizing to state capitols all across the
country.
Republican State Sen. Jane Orie has been charged with perjury, forgery, tampering and fabricating physical evidence in connection with the defense documents used at her trial on charges that she used her state-funded staff to do political work, according to a criminal complaint filed in Pittsburgh City Court.
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of this one is, when Cortwitts office was called and he was called himself is a FACT.
The Pennsylvania Attorney Generals' Public Corruption Unit did nothing, they continued to just investigate and prosecute House Democrats.
Today after 5 years not one Senator of either party or their staffers been investigated by the PAOAG!
Yep good ole selective prosecution, those who got the biggest bonus's nothing, Orie, nothing, not even a report to investigate the call?
But to prosecute, say someone whose a Republican and shown to be campaigning while on state time as the Patriot News reported would take integrity.
Instead Cortwitts staff turned a blind eye to any Republican, with the exception of Perzel, whose about as powerful as that dopey Health Secretary running around with a fake badge, or a the Governors Personal State Tropper there to pick up Corwitt's Cabinet Wives problems, and of course Corwitts Welfare Secretary using his state car to set up private businesses.
Yup, and Republican Senate Aide Mkie Long got the biggest bonus in the senate but Mike Long Associates was hired to elect Attorney General Corbett to be Governor, and the Media never asked how can you hire someone that you are suppose to be investigating?
Something has happen in state government it is a silent coup of corruption.
Anonymous said...Ex-House Speaker John Perzel is surrounded by the data and his own relatives, look for a Plea from him in a few days...August 18, 2011 4:00 PM
ReplyDeleteYOU MUST BE AN INFORMANT?
If therewas ever a Federal Investigation on Corbet's OAG Grand Juriesa nd their Investigations on Bonus Gate, his Governorship would unravel as fast as many OAG Investigators, Prosecutors, and Campaign Office Staff start to tell all to avoid Jail Time for Immunity!
ReplyDeleteBut AG Holder is in trouble over ATF Fast and Furious so the Feds have been neutralized or spaded so to speak, besides President Obama will be out of office by 2013.
It is what it is a planned intentional misuse of power to change power.
after all, the OAG really followed the evidence and Grand Jury it would take them to the Republican National Committee, but any Garnd Jury on Republicans either never took place, or were never reported, and now getting far too late to even do one.
Unless Orie's starts to talk for Immunity?
Oh Boy, if she ever went honest and upfront on Republicans, it would all come falling down.
But then again, there is that PA Supreme Court ruling coming on Double Jeopardy, and a majority of Republicans Judges would love the investigations to stop now.
It Is A Mad House, A Mad House!
It'll be just fascinating to see what Perzel pleads to, but I'm thinking you wouldn't do a deal with the mastermind unless he were ready to testify not just against his own staff (you're kidding, let the big fish off lighter to get the staffers? I don't think so). Whuich rationally means someone bigger and not yet indicted. I thk it'll be very interesting. And regardless of that, I still do not think he gets off without both losing his pension and going to jail.
ReplyDeleteNot looking good for any Democrat and Republicans could step on an Orie Mine Field of valuable evidence given to US Attorney and then the real trouble will begin.
ReplyDeleteI do not see Senator Orie remaining silent as the scapegoat for the GOP Senate.
She always looks like she is sucking on a lemon slice in the press.
Supreme Court Justice Madamn Orie will be even more a problem.
There is hope yet for honest politics if Senator and Justice Orie truly stand up and do the right thing to do, nothing more, or less.
What about PER-CELL?
ReplyDeleteTo me, Perzel's expected plea should not discourage voters; it should encourage them.
The system works and crooks like Perzel have ruined their careers because they are guilty, and they were found out.
A plea bargain will be entered and he will serve some type of sentence. That is good news.
He then can join his buddy Fumo in the official grand larceny of PA's coffers. My guess the plea will keep him out of jail, though.
My guess, being that he is a Republican, it will be a sweetheart deal and he won't have to testify against anyone else. They want this behind them.
Prosecutors have described the Philadelphia Republican as the architect of a scheme to illegally use millions of dollars’ worth of taxpayer-financed computer technology to gain an edge in political campaigns.
Anyone with a good memory or whoever, could you research to uncover what the name of the company that provides IT to the state? Is this the same IT company that this article alludes too? Is this the same IT company that Jack Wagner used to audit the Department of Public Welfare? Does anyone sense that those audits might have been rigged?
This story is slowing starting to build momentum.
And what was the result of that meeting between Senator Pat Vance and the Secretary of the Department of Public Welfare last week?
Ummm...
The Pit Bull of the House known to break his verbal promises, change agreemenrts, and then was investigated by his own party because he abused the system, hired his in-laws, and gave commonwealth funds to his family has come to term with is corruption.
ReplyDeleteThe Pit Bull will be muzzeled forever but will keep $100,000 Pension, Benefits, and Lump Sum with little to no compensation fines back to the commonwealth.
Perzel promised not to send funds against Democratic Reps but took a poll and put $125,000 against Veon and that in turn led to the destruction of House Leadership as we knew it.
One thing for sure, Pedrzel is so hated by his own party he will not be welcomed to be a lobbyists by anyone under the Green Dome.
R.I.P. LITTLE LITTLE JOHN PERZEL A BIG MOUTH ON A LITTLE HEAD!