Mike Manzo, a former top aide in the state House of Representatives apologized for the Bonusgate scandal and was sentenced to up to four years in prison Monday. He was a witness for the prosecution and his testimony against his past colleagues that aided in the conviction of Rep. Bill DeWeese.
In what the judge called a “fraud upon the citizens of this Commonwealth,” the Associated Press reports that Manzo believes it was his own actions that got him to this point.
“It was too easy for some people to say ‘well it was just the culture or it was just the system.’ I never bought into that,” Manzo explained.
Manzo was charged in July 2008 and pleaded guilty to three counts of theft, six counts of conflict of interest, and one count of conspiracy in January 2010 in a deal, according to the AP.
In addition to jail time, Manzo must pay $22,000 in fines and $73,000 in restitution for his role in the Bonusgate scandal, which used taxpayer dollars to pay Democratic staff members conducting campaign work.
Manzo was considered to be at the “very tip of the spear in terms of cooperation,” Chief Deputy Attorney General Frank Fina had said.
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Oddly, the State Senate, Mike Long, Andrew Crompton and the rest were never seriously investigated.
Why do I think the Democrats will make this an issue: The State AG’s office has become politicized by one party rule and applies a Double Standard of Justice defying core principle ‘equal justice under law’. If Tom Corbett’s man, Dave Freed, is elected, we are all in jeopardy of political prosecution.
Many of us saw that in MontCo with the political arrest of Jim Mathews. It is scary when the DA goes rogue.