The Pa. Democratic Party filed an ethics complaint against Tom Corbett Tuesday, a few hours after the Philadelphia Daily News published a story about the Governor’s $11,343 in gifts from businessmen and lobbyists.
As DN writer Will Bunch reported, on top of Penguins tickets, Corbett and his wife received “Steelers playoffs tickets, private jet travel, seats at a swank gala for the Philadelphia Orchestra, a Rhode Island summer vacation aboard a businessman’s yacht – even money to help pay for the first lady’s inauguration gown.” All came from a variety of personal benefactors in 2010 and 2011, and were reported in the Governor’s disclosure forms.
The Pa. Dems weren’t satisfied with the disclosure. Their complaint to the Ethics Commission accompanies “a request for an investigation regarding acceptance of gifts by Governor Tom Corbett and the possible improper influence conduced by Governor Corbett and the Corbett administration after receiving such gifts.”
A spokesperson flatly rejected the suggestion of impropriety to the DN:
“Governor Corbett has been clear that he makes all decisions based on what is in the best interests of Pennsylvanians,” said Kelli Roberts, his deputy press secretary. “He has always fully complied with both the letter and the spirit of our state’s financial-reporting laws. His campaign-finance report and his state ethics reports are both public documents, placed on a state website for all to see. The governor’s actions have always been, and will continue to be, transparent and free of any conflict of interest.”
As the DN further noted, Gov. Ed Rendell accepted a $1,000 Super Bowl ticket from the Steelers in 2009 and eight Billy Joel concert tickets from the owners of Hersheypark.
In any case it’s a good day for the party, whose top objective for the next 20 months is to dog Corbett mercilessly. Even if the Ethics Commission declines to investigate, as seems likely given the Governor’s forthright disclosure and the relative small amount of the gifts, it’s still a tough headline for the Republican incumbent.
It’s a good day, that is, unless you’re a Democrat in Philly. There, as the Pittsburgh Tribune Review reported, two Dem lawmakers took lumps for their use of taxpayer dollars. State Rep, Dwight Evans spends $644 per month to lease his state-paid car and Sen. Mike Stack has spent $600 on car washes over the past two years.
Loading ...
13 Responses
Corbett will be primaried!
@Kathleen3,
It is clear you don’t read the Philadelphia newspapers or watch Philadelphia TV news. The Philadelphia media is far more critical of Mayor Nutter, Congressman Brady, Congressman Fattah (and his son), and nearly every member of City Council than it is critical of Governor Corbett. Primarily, it differs according to government level. Philadelphia media cares a great deal about City and federal government, and cares very little about state government. And because you likely think the Philadelphia media partisan, please note the Philadelphia media gave far more critical attention to the car lease and car washes of Representative Evans and Senator Stack (neither of which is illegal) on the very same day as the story on Governor Corbett receiving gifts/lodging/hospitality/transportation (also not illegal). Additionally, the same week, the Philadelphia media highlighted grants obtained by Representative Evans for local groups–which every legislator does (for which there has been no accusation of wrongdoing to date).
Not everybody with whom you disagree is corrupt, unknowing, or unfair. Next time, please learn about the subject matter on which you write before attempting to wax authoritative.
When the PHL papers investigate Nutter, Ramsey, and 99.9% of others in this administration, and add in Fattah Sr. and Jr., Bob Brady and others of their ilk including Latino activist groups and those who support them, it is then I may give a second of thought to their reporting.
Lets veto him out!!!!
http://www.keystonepolitics.com/2013/02/something-stinks-in-cambria-county
/
PAGOP Chair Rob Gleason goes on a foreign junket with his very good client, President Cambria Commissioner Doug Legenfelder and other political backers, their spouses, ect. Maybe the Corbett Administration needs to get an ethics seminar from Rob Gleason’s employer Arthur J Gallagher? Maybe Chairman Gleason can sell Governor Corbett some insurance too? http://youtu.be/wpZ3jPMM5Ac
http://deadspin.com/5859802/past-and-present-board-members-of-the-second-mile-gave-a-combined-20178364-to-gov-corbetts-2010-campaign
Is former federal prosecutor H. Geoffrey Moulton Jr. looking into the Second Mile? Is anyone? Just wondering.
I guess the hundreds of thousands that Judge McCaffery’s wife took as his chief aid is not an issue since it didn’t appear in this blog.
Nobody cares about judicial misconduct so you just don’t report it… oh wait, the Orie sisters…. WHAAAAAAAAAA.
This never happened to Rendell because he left his wife at home while he cheated on her with dozens of different women in public. He also didnt need to accept lobbyist gifts because all of his girlfriends ended up on DPW payroll for 6 figures a pop for “consulting”. Why did Corbett muzzle Gary Alexander to appease Philadelphia is the question
Seriously, you’re making fun of the governor’s wife’s appearance? Does your teacher know you’re on PoliticsPA during homeroom?
LOL amateur hour in the capitol continues. Heck of a team he’s got over there.
Sounds like UFCW Local 1776 boss Wendell Young IV is getting desperate, huh? Unfortunately, attacking Corbett is not going to save you or your labor union, Wendell. You’re DONE.
How is it possible for any one man to get hammered unmercifully day after day and have it all be justified?
I’m suprised there wasn’t something in there about Mrs. Corbett’s beauty treatments…maybe because they didn’t work.