The Philadelphia Inquirer has this story, dated July 14, on the illegal use of public employees to participate in the “private” challenge to Ralph Nader’s 2004 petition, and Carl Romanelli’s 2006 petition. The quote from a spokesperson near the end of the article, claiming that both candidates “falsified” their petitions, is untrue. No one ever accused either candidate of anything worse than having petitions with many invalid signatures. There is no logical connection between invalid signatures on a petition, and a charge of “falsification” of petitions. “Falsification” implies forgery.
There will be more arrests to come in the coming months. There will be Republicans getting arrested as well.
The Bonusgate investigation would not have happened without the outrage that followed the 2006 unconstitutional payraise at 2am.
Gov. Ed Rendell, both Democratic and Republican leaders of the PA legislature and the PA Supreme Court were all behind the corrupt payraise and the equally corrupt slots bill that later followed.
Groups like PA Cleansweep, the Commonwealth Foundation, Common cause, the League of Women voters and other groups along with talk radio are the ones that kept the heat on these people. We just got luck that the PA Attorney General is looking at running for Governor and has actively investigated this matter instead of the usual act of sweeping it under the rug.
Constitutional Convention Enabling Act (SB1290)!
Michael Thompson
National Chairman – New American Independent Party
Coordinator – PA Cleansweep
While there could be Republicans indict in the future I would be very surprised if it amounts to anything on the scale of the Democrats under indictment. I don’t say this because I like Republicans either.
PA Attorney General in his press conference last Thursday said that precedence for his effort came from the Democrat Indictment of Jeff Habay a Republican 5 years ago. You can bet Corbett sent word to Republicans in the legislature to keep their noses clean on these matters long before he started the investigation. Even Habay was a very small fish in a stand alone operation. Corbett has thrown out a dragnet that has netted him a widespread Sodom & Gomorrah Operation.
Corbett in his presser said nothing about Republicans but did say he expected to return more indictments in the Bonusgate Affair on Destruction of Evidence and Obstruction of Justice.
Corbett is seriously considering a run for Governor. He will need to go after Republicans as well in this investigation, and I think that he is going to do so.
The Republican party in Pennsylvania is in serious trouble and decline. Corbett is smart enough to know that.
Corbett is also likely smart enough to know not to have sent word to the Republicans to keep their noses clean. This investigation has been fueled by outraged citizens since the 2006 unconstitutional payraise and Corbett knows that. I can tell you that we have folks within the ranks of staffers that are working to weed out the corruption. The Republicans involved in this practice will be weeded out. It might take a little longer, perhaps another year or two. But, they will be weeded out.
They can say that precedence for his effort came from the indictment of Jeff Habay years ago. But, this investigation would not have developed and exploded the way that it has without the fuel of the payraise scandal.