Word: corbett
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Dates: during 2010-2019
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...jury in the trial of former House Majority Whip Mike Veon, a Democrat from western Pennsylvania, and three former party staffers, who are accused of running a secret campaign office in the Capitol building. The defendants are among 25 people from both parties indicted by state Attorney General Tom Corbett, who started the investigation three years ago, initially focusing on taxpayer money used to give bonuses to Democratic staffers working on campaign projects on official time. (See the top 10 scandals...
Although the parties ran their schemes separately, according to the indictments, "the goal was the same: power and using public resources for campaign purposes," Corbett's spokesman Kevin Harley said. So far, the probe has indicted some big names in addition to Veon, including two former House Speakers, Democrat Bill DeWeese and Republican John Perzel, and the former chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Brett Feese, a Republican from Williamsport. The scandal forced the resignation of state Revenue Secretary Stephen Stetler, who was indicted in December for his role in the scheme while a legislator and head of the House...
...scandal has shaken up the looming race to replace Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell, who is term-limited from seeking re-election. Attorney General Corbett has long been seen as the Republican front-runner, but his investigations have earned him enemies in both parties and led to criticism that he is grandstanding for electoral purposes. "This is a prosecution which has as its foundation the desire of the Attorney General of Pennsylvania to be governor," said Joel Sansone, one of Veon's attorneys, who asserts that his client is innocent. "The conduct itself is not illegal ... What they did is done...
Despite all the publicity the indictments have generated for Corbett, the anti-corruption campaign got off to an inauspicious start. The first trial, in December, resulted in the acquittal of former Democratic lawmaker Sean Ramaley, who had been charged with having a do-nothing political job with Veon while Ramaley was running for office. Prosecutors say that they have a far stronger case against Veon and the other legislative leaders. Seven legislative aides pleaded guilty to related charges earlier this month and are expected to testify against Veon and others. (See the 25 crimes of the century...