It’s Friday the Thirteenth. See who was unlucky enough to earn ‘Downs’ this week.
Tom Corbett. The Sandusky case will remain one of the most talked-about for years. The Govenor/former Attorney General had better get used to taking questions about it: it’s a potential game changer in hs 2014 re-elect and this year’s AG race. The release of the Freeh report highlights some shortcomings of the state’s investigation, and Thursday, Corbett blew up when a reporter asked if he wishes he’d done anything different in light of it. The Governor is taking serious lumps everywhere from or Michael Smerconish on MSNBC (watch this blistering commentary from last night) to Philly sports radio (this morning).
Jay Costa. He saved taxpayers – and possibly his caucus’s campaign committee – several hundred dollars, and all it took was an email. Republicans were pondering a special election to replace the recently retired Sen. John Pippy (R-Allegheny). Costa spoke out, noting that the taxpayer expense ($200,000 to $400,000) would buy a mere 8 session days for the would-be Senator. And on the campaign side, that’s money the Dems can now save for a target-rich November. Facing unfavorable press, the GOP blinked.
Mark Critz. Any week that Obamacare is the topic du jour is a less-than-opportune one for the Congressman. In his 2010 special and general, Critz said he’d have voted against the law. In his 2012 Democratic primary, he fought with Jason Altmire over who least opposed the law. This week, he voted with the Dems against full repeal. It’s a tricky spot, and the purpose behind the House GOP’s decision to hold votes like that.
Larry Maggi. The Washington Co. Commissioner and challenger to Rep. Tim Murphy has an uphill climb in every category, including money, but he had a good week. He announced a Q2 of over $200,000, and a COH of $405K. Both are records for the most ever by a Murphy challenger in the Congressman’s ten years. Maggi has one goal: win top challenger status by the DCCC and other national Dem groups. He’s taken a big step in that direction.
Pat Meehan. The incumbent freshman also has one goal: deny his challenger top status by the DCCC and other national Dem groups. He, too, made moves this week when he announced over $2 million on hand after a nearly $500,000 quarter. The Philly market is expensive, Dems have lots of targets in the country, and Meehan’s Dem opponent George Badey has to make moves fast if he wants to head into the fall with a head of steam.
Tweet of the week: Scott Detrow, NPR’s StateImpact PA.
Penn State students apparently aren’t fans of the astute political analysis @Capitol_Ideas provides. bit.ly/N2FmLN
— Scott Detrow (@scottdetrow) July 12, 2012
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4 Responses
In 2004, the GOP chose Corbett, the felon’s choice, to provide a save haven for gambling (remember big Corbett contributor Louis DeNaples?) and as a hammer against members of the legislature that had gotten too big for their britches. Real crime, like Sandusky, was low priority since that would anger a huge constituency (Penn Staters) Corbett and Asher needed to make Corbett governor. When political parties pick candidates to pander to special interests and to settle old political scores, you get Tom Corbett, Governor, former Attorney General, lackey of corruption-convicted Bob Asher. The people of Pennsylvania continue to pay the price for having one of it’s major political parties governed by a man with a criminal record for public corruption. What did we expect?
Who’s Michael Smerconish?
Badey’s fundraising this quarter was an embarrassment. The guy is a philly lawyer — and nobody in the philly legal community has given him a dime. Warm up the bus! This game is over.
Good thing for the Gov. very few watch MSNBC or care what Michael Smerconish thinks!