Concerning the state legislature, a Philadelphia Inquire editorial says,  "They need to prove their thriftiness to taxpayers, because the legislature has been a circus of waste and corruption. The credibility of both Democratic and Republican legislators as stewards of tax money is in tatters. The fraud conviction of former State Sen. (and chief appropriator) Vincent J. Fumo of Philadelphia showed how gleefully some legislators waste tax dollars on themselves. And then there's the ongoing corruption prosecution against a dozen current and former House Democratic officials for allegedly doling out taxpayer-funded bonuses to staffers as a reward for campaign work. In a two-year period, Democrats and Republicans paid nearly $2 million in bonuses to legislative aides. Legislators can't waste tax money to that degree, and then turn around and tell taxpayers with a straight face that state government has been cut to the bone.”

To open article in a new window

In a bizarre twist to the bonusgate scandal, former state representative Mike Veon filed court documents alleging former caucus leader and now Majority Whip Bill DeWeese (D-Greene) engaged in the same illegal activity that led to Veon being charged with multiple counts of public corruption. Veon is arguing the charges against him should be dropped because Corbett chose to selectively prosecute him and not others state officials who committed the same crimes.  I guess it’s the “well everybody else is doing it” argument we used to use as kids.

To open entire story in new window