Politics PA

As you’re reading this now, Mike Veon’s “Bonusgate” trial has been going for at least several hours. It’s the former Democratic House leader’s first day on trial in the public corruption case, and the scrutiny on it will be harsh from nearly every media outlet in Harrisburg. Of course, as we’ve been telling you for weeks, the trial is critical for Attorney General Tom Corbett’s Republican gubernatorial campaign. His public corruption investigation is the centerpiece of his time as the state’s chief prosecutor, and it’s likely what voters know most about him right now.  Corbett already lost his case against state Rep. Sean Ramaley, who was acquitted on all charges, but most think his case against Veon is much stronger. But expect the former Democratic leader’s lawyers to mention Corbett’s political ambition early and often during the trial.

Now that the deadline for submitting campaign fundraising numbers has passed, analysis of the candidates’ totals will keep us busy for a few days, and the most striking numbers come from the Democratic Senate primary, where winners and losers are sometimes hard to identify.  Joe Sestak’s haul wasn’t monumental last quarter, but it outpaced incumbent Arlen Specter after expenditures are included, despite Specter’s overall lead.   Still, is Sestak the real winner here?  GOP challenger Pat Toomey is watching closely from afar as his two potential opponents rip into each other – and all the while his lead in the polls widens further. If Sestak and Specter spend all their money beating each other up, Toomey will almost certainly enjoy a significant financial advantage in the general election.

In the race for governor, rumors continue to swirl that Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty will re-direct his focus to the lieutenant governor’s spot, presumably paired with Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato. Combined with news his campaign manager has left, expect some Democrats to begin penciling in that pairing for November.