SEE ALSO: Rohrer camp calls trial ‘fascinating side show’

By Alex Roarty
PoliticsPA Staff Writer
roarty@politicspa.com

The mixed verdict returned Monday night in the Mike Veon trial was seen by Republican strategists as a win for Republican Tom Corbett’s gubernatorial campaign after his investigation returned some convictions against the former House Democratic leader.

But it also gave critics, citing the fact that the jury dismissed many of the criminal counts, an opening to criticize his investigation as wasteful and largely unsuccessful.

The bottom line, according to GOP officials: The gubernatorial front-runner secured enough convictions against the criminal trial’s big fish — 14 against Veon — to justify his reputation as a Harrisburg reformer. Whatever else happened Monday, they said, will be boiled away in campaign soundbites that emphasize the successful prosecution of a former Harrisburg power broker.

“(Veon) just got convicted of 14 felonies. I am not sure who would need to spin that,” said Republican strategist Ray Zaborney. “Veon will be playing basketball with a different group of people thanks to Tom Corbett, and Harrisburg is on notice that if you break the law and cheat the taxpayers you are going to go to jail for a long time.”

Much of the media coverage Monday night emphasized the Veon conviction, an important boost for Corbett to help frame the trial as a success. The trial was the first major one connected to the attorney general’s “Bonusgate” investigation, which began in 2007.

Said another Republican strategist, who wished to remain anonymous: “It’s enough to proclaim victory.”

Polling shows Corbett with a heavy advantage against Republican primary foe Sam Rohrer and an early edge against each of the four potential Democratic gubernatorial candidates. Even if each of the four defendants were acquitted Monday, it’s possible the attorney general would have remained the gubernatorial front-runner, although his candidacy would undoubtedly have been weakened.

If nothing else, the jury’s decision could help stymie momentum gained by critics in the wake of former state Rep. Sean Ramaley‘s acquittal late last year from charges stemming from “Bonusgate.” The decision led some observers to re-examine the validity of the rest of the attorney general’s case.

Critics, however, will say Monday’s verdict doesn‘t change anything. The key state they can cite: 16 percent. It’s the conviction rate against the four defendants in the Veon trial.

Although the attorney general secured 14 criminal counts against Veon, he had charged the former House whip with 59 total. His former aides, Brett Cott and Annamarie Perretta–Rosepink, were combined convicted of just eight of 64 counts against them, while another official, Stephen Keefer, was acquitted of all charges.

“Three years, millions of taxpayer dollars, countless state staff man-hours … only to hear again and again, ‘not guilty … not guilty … not guilty,‘” wrote the Web site CasablancaPA, which has vigorously criticized Corbett since he first brought the charges, just minutes after the jury rendered the verdict.

The conviction rate, according to Democratic strategist Daren Berringer, will come back to haunt the attorney general.

“He has leveraged this entire case as a platform for his governor race,” Berringer said. “He is going to ‘clean up Harrisburg’ but he failed to get a rate of conviction that can honestly back that theme up.”

One potential factor that could alter the perception of the trial: Does Veon get time in jail? That could be seen as a marker for many voters to determine whether the prosecution was a success. As of Monday night, it wasn‘t clear if the former House leader was likely to spend time in prison.

The “Bonusgate” trials are still far from over. Two former speaker of the House, John Perzel and Bill DeWeese, still await their day in court. Decision in either of those cases could again swing momentum in favor of, or again, the attorney general.