Being from Philly, this is getting airtime here...

Scandal in the statehouse: 12 Democrats face corruption charges

Now THAT is what you call a "culture of corruption"...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- A state lawmaker, a former legislative leader and 10 other people connected to the state House Democratic caucus were charged Thursday over allegations that millions of taxpayer dollars were illegally siphoned to underwrite political campaigns.

Pennsylvania prosecutors filed the theft, conflict of interest and conspiracy charges after grand jurors found that legislative employees got taxpayer-funded bonuses for doing campaign work; state computers and equipment were commandeered for political campaigning; and public contracts were issued for partisan purposes. Some of the bonuses issued in 2005 and 2006 were well over $20,000.

"It's a very sad day in Pennsylvania," Attorney General Tom Corbett said in announcing the charges.

Corbett, a Republican and potential 2010 gubernatorial candidate, said more charges are expected. He declined to say whether the investigation has uncovered evidence of similar illegal acts within the House Republican, Senate Republican or Senate Democratic caucuses.

Those charged include former Democratic Whip Mike Veon; Rep. Sean Ramaley, a Beaver County Democrat currently running for state Senate; and several key caucus staffers or former staffers, including Michael Manzo, forced out in November as chief of staff to House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese.

Corbett said the defendants were expected to turn themselves in to a magistrate Friday. The four current staffers charged were suspended Thursday without pay or benefits, said Bob Caton, spokesman for House Majority Whip Keith McCall.

Robert G. Del Greco Jr., Veon's lawyer, said Thursday that Veon has consistently asserted his innocence.

Ramaley's lawyer, Philip Ignelzi, said his client denies the charges and "did his job. He did what he was required to do, he did what he was asked to do."

Manzo's lawyer, Jim Eisenhower, did not return a phone message seeking comment late Thursday.

Investigations by grand juries in Harrisburg and Pittsburgh were initiated after The Patriot-News of Harrisburg reported in January 2007 that secretive legislative bonuses for "meritorious or bonus pay" were being given out.


link

Sounds like someone got caught with their hand in the cookie jar....

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Our nation has not always lived up to its ideals, yet those ideals have never ceased to guide us. They expose our flaws, and lead us to mend them. We are the beneficiaries of the work of the generations before us and it is each generation's responsibility to continue that work. - Laura Bush

God is a conservative -

Ecclesiastes 10:2--"A wise man's heart inclines him to the right, but a fool's heart to the left."

dammit

I hate it when Democrats get in trouble for shit like this.

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"No man is happy without a delusion of some kind. Delusions are as necessary to our happiness as realities."
...Christian Nestell Bovee

[Moderator Mode]

Two threads; same topic...merged them...

[Moderator Mode]

Notice how both threads started at the EXACT SAME time?...AND from two different sources?...

That's great minds thinking alike...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

I would have been in first if that girl at Subway hadn't been so slow making my $5 foot long Spicy Italian.....

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Our nation has not always lived up to its ideals, yet those ideals have never ceased to guide us. They expose our flaws, and lead us to mend them. We are the beneficiaries of the work of the generations before us and it is each generation's responsibility to continue that work. - Laura Bush

God is a conservative -

Ecclesiastes 10:2--"A wise man's heart inclines him to the right, but a fool's heart to the left."

I knew a 5-foot high spicey Italian once...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

Wake up with 300+ lobbyist to each rep what can you except. If you really cared for this country you would give thanks they were rounded up. And pray for the rest to be found out. Why because American first, parties last.

I love it when they get caught... Even the GOP. Thats why I am a Independent.

Great post redd, thanks for making my day.

please - hop off your soapbox

I did not suggest that I wish they hadn't been "rounded up."

such hysterical hyperbole, paired with comments like "if you really cared for this country," just makes it difficult to take what you say seriously.

... just saying

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"No man is happy without a delusion of some kind. Delusions are as necessary to our happiness as realities."
...Christian Nestell Bovee

I found this in yesterdays paper. Seems our former DNC Chairman was involved... Great!